boho
by boaty
Summary: pp


_Hinata Lee is having a terrible week._

 _After trying and failing to acquire a suitable mate for the semester—a humiliating experience in and of itself—she had no choice but to spend the last 36 hours locked away in a heat isolation chamber with nothing but a set of pre-approved sex toys at her disposal. Which was not only excruciating, but also a complete waste of her time and her parents' money._

 _Hinata's first two years at university were a breeze, thanks to a mutually beneficial arrangement she had with an alpha friend of hers at the time. But now that Temari is off at grad school, Hinata finds herself lurching in the proverbial wind, forced to navigate her treacherous hormones all on her own._

 _Only two weeks into her junior year and Hinata has already lost three whole days—both in and out of the health center—thanks to her wretched biology. And now that her upper level engineering courses are starting to pick up, it's impractical for Hinata to continue wasting several days every_ month _just on her heats._ _Especially when most professors expect their older students to keep their hormonal situations in check._

 _"It's not fair," Hinata insists into her phone as she checks out of the fertility management center. "Alphas get their pick of 50 shades of rut suppressants, and you and I are left with what?_ Two _name-brand heat suppressants? And maybe a handful of generic knocN-offs? It's bullshit."_

 _She hands her credit card over to the blushing attendant who is trying hard to pretend they aren't listening to the one-sided conversation._

 _"You're right, Lee. As always," Ino says from the other line._

 _These rants are of course anything but new to Ino, but as Hinata's resident best friend, she is obligated to listen to them all the Same. And it_ _'s not like Hinata doesn't do the Same for_ her _whenever she goes off on tangental diatribes about the stigma surrounding inter-omega relationships._

 _But today, for better or worse, it's Hinata's turn to monologue._

 _"And forget it if you're one of the_ lucky _ones who get shitty side effects," Hinata continues as she drums her fingers, glaring at the attendant, almost daring them to say something. "Like_ fuck _me, right?"_

 _"Yeah, well, most omegas would rather take the side effects than suffer through a full-blown heat. You're the outlier in this equation, Lee."_

 _"I shouldn't_ have _to choose, Ino," Hinata protests, taking back her card. "That's the—_ What? _No, I don't need a copy of my receipt." She waves away the attendant, quickly making her way over to the exit. "That's the point."_

 _"Of course."_

 _Hinata pushes her way out of the health clinic, and after some deliberation, heads for the pharmacy next door. Might as well replenish her phero-blockers while she's in the area._

 _"Also, you want to know the_ worst _part of going though heats at school?" Hinata starts up again as she strolls into the store, immediately attracting attention with her raised voice. "I_ stink."

 _Ino laughs. "Why didn't you just use the showers at the center?"_

 _"Showering in a shared public space?" Hinata says with a scoff. "Yeah. No thanks." She sighs in exasperation as she reaches the far corner of the pharmacy, where the distinctly tiny omega section has been hidden away. "There just_ has _to be a better way."_

 _"Oh, is your current method of propositioning alphas at random not working out for you?"_

 _"Shut up, Yamanaka," Hinata mutters under her breath, even as her friend launches into an outright cackle in her ear. "It's not my fault that the resident alpha male apparently only sLeeps with good Catholic girls. In fact, it's_ Lillian's _fault for not getting me baptized. Damn woman's sabotaging me everywhere I go…"_

 _"Still gross."_

 _"Yeah, I guess. And then_ Mike, _on the other hand…" Hinata just rolls her eyes._

 _"You asked_ Mon-El?" _comes the accusation so shrill that Hinata has to pull the phone away from her ear with a wince._

 _"First off, I'll never call him by that ridiculous nickname," Hinata says, snatching up a box of her preferred brand of O-Blocks. "And secondly,_ yes! _I was desperate, okay? He turned me down anyway, so what's the big deal?"_

"He did?" Ino sounds as incredulous as Hinata felt when she had been rejected by the frat boy in question. "Wow, and here I thought that he'd fuck anything that moved."

 _"Yeah, but_ apparently, _he only fucks people on the pill. Just a personal policy of his, so…" Hinata pauses to roll her eyes at some nearby shoppers who appear downright scandalized. "Um, do you mind? This is a_ private _conversation. Unbelievable."_

 _Hinata carries on with her vehement ranting even as she gets in line to pay, barely sparing a glance around her surroundings. Which is why it takes a good ten minutes before she realizes that the line isn't moving and hasn't done so in some time. Hinata steps out with a huffy sigh, ready to voice her complaint, when she notices the reason for the hold-up and quickly bites her tongue._

 _A lone mousy customer desperately trying not to kowtow to the visibly irritated cashier._

 _Hinata whispers a low_ hang on _to Ino and drops her phone to her side, a frown already settling on her features as she tunes in to the commotion._

 _"Declined?" the customer is saying, nervously adjusting her glasses. "But I definitely have money on that account. Our payday was yesterday, so I should have more than enough… Could you please try running it one more time?"_

 _The cashier lets out an exaggerated groan. "If it didn't go through the first three times, why the hell would it go through_ this _time?"_

 _"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Um, hold on." The girl roots through her pockets and manages to produce a few crumpled bills. "Is there any way I can maybe just buy half the bottle now, then come back for the rest when my paycheck comes through? I really need those meds_ today."

 _"What?_ No. _This is a pharmacy, not your local drug dealer. We_ don't _sell loose pills." The cashier waves over to the following customer. "Next!"_

 _He rings up the next two customers while the girl carefully searches her person for more money. All to no avail. When Hinata finally gets to the front of the line, the customer shoots her an apologetic look before stepping up to the counter once more._

 _"Okay, if I come back with a check, could you_ please _just not put it through until_ after _the weekend? Then maybe…"_

 _"Absolutely not," the cashier snaps. "Look, you either have the money or you don't. We are not in the business of giving out handouts, no matter how—"_

 _"Hey," Hinata cuts in sharply. She nods at the bottles before the cashier can clear them from the counter. "You can put those on my tab."_

 _The cashier shakes his head, promptly taking on a more cordial tone, "Ma'am, you shouldn't have to do that. Don't worry—"_

 _"I'm_ not _talking to you, you arrogant little prick," Hinata hisses, and the cashier goes white as a sheet at the icy tone. She turns back to the customer and gives her a small nod. "I can cover you."_

 _The girl fidgets with her hands. "It's actually kinda expensive. You really don't have to."_

 _Hinata waves her hand dismissively. "I got you."_

 _She tosses her credit card onto the counter, her patented glare leveled at the cashier as he silently rings up the purchases without meeting anyone's eyes._

 _"Here."_

 _Hinata holds out the shopping bag and the girl accepts it with careful hands, clutching the bag to her chest like it's a lifeline. And as someone who has just suffered through a particularly intense heat cycle, Hinata can relate all too well._

 _"Thank you," the girl says. "Thank you so, so much."_

Hinata just offers her a smile, taking the time to watch the girl leave before returning her phone back to her ear.

 _"Lee? You there?" Ino asks wryly. "Or are you still playing white knight for the masses?"_

 _"You're insufferable," Hinata scoffs, brushing her hair back with a hand. "But I'll have to call you back later, Ino. Because right now, I have to get this little beta piece of shit fired."_

 _With Ino's laughter still ringing in her ears, Hinata hangs up the phone, her lips curving into a smirk as the cashier registers her words with a dropped jaw._

 _Twenty minutes and a heated complaint to the manager later, Hinata emerges victorious from the pharmacy, a fully refunded receipt in hand. Her day is already improving remarkably and she can't wait to recount the entire ordeal to Neji, because this is_ exactly _the sort of thing her brother pretends to disapprove of but secretly revels in._

 _The high has still yet to dissipate when Hinata gets to her car, which is probably why she reacts with a broad smile rather than her usual scowl when the stranger from earlier approaches her._

 _"Um, hi." The girl gives her a small wave, one hand still clasped to the shopping bag._

 _"Hello." Hinata glances around the parking lot. "Were you… waiting for me?"_

 _"Yes! Well,_ no _… Well, yes_ and _no." The girl laughs and rubs the back of her neck. "I wasn't trying to be creepy or anything…"_

Hinata tries not to burst out laughing at the very notion of the nervous girl before her coming across as anything but sweet and harmless. Quite possibly the furthest thing from creepy.

 _"I just realized that I didn't get the chance to thank you properly," the girl continues. "Or even get your information so I can pay you back."_

Hinata just shakes her head. "I actually just got a full refund from management, so don't even worry about it."

 _"Oh, wow. So, it was just free? That's, wow, that's great!" The girl sticks out her hand. "I'm Naruko by the way. Naruko Uzumaki."_

 _"Nice to meet you, Naruko," Hinata says and she graciously accepts the handshake before realizing that she might have to reciprocate, "Oh, I'm—"_

 _"Lee comma Hinata," Naruko finishes for her, prompting an amused frown from Hinata. Then by way of explanation, "You're in my cultural anthropology class. That's how Dr Henshaw takes attendance and I guess I pay a little too much attention sometimes."_

 _"Anthro…?" Hinata racks her brain, trying to mentally recreate the lecture hall for a class she barely stays awake for. "Oh, wait, do you sit next to Sasuke and… that… er, beta boy?"_

 _"Winn," Naruko supplies. "And yeah! We took all our other gen eds together and decided to enroll in this one together too. You know James?"_

 _"I've heard of him. Seen him in passing."_

 _Which is a much more palatable explanation than the real one where Hinata had painstakingly familiarized herself with every suitable upperclassmen alphas during her search for the ideal fuck buddy. Sasuke had actually made it onto the short list before Hinata found out that he only dated other alphas. How truly unfortunate._

 _"Oh, I see," Naruko says, nodding thoughtfully. "Well, anyway… I was kinda hoping to maybe get your number or something?" She then starts blushing out of nowhere, a bright pink coloring her cheeks. "Just so I can pay you back for the meds, I swear!"_

 _"Naruko, like I said, I got a full refund so—"_

 _"Not with money necessarily," Naruko quickly adds. "I was thinking more along the lines of a thanN-you coffee?"_

 _Hinata purses her lips, already trying to puzzle out a way to let the girl down easy. Honestly, it wouldn't be the first time a fellow omega has mistaken Hinata for an alpha—she doesn't exactly fit the picture perfect meek omega stereotype. Although, it has never happened so soon after her heat with the excess pheromones still clinging to her frame, lingering on her skin and hair._

 _No doubt sensing Hinata's hesitation, Naruko rushes to reassure her, "Just a coffee, I swear. No strings. No hidden agenda of any sort."_

 _"All right…"_

 _They exchange numbers and make plans to meet at the campus cybercafé for the following day, and four more heartfelt thank yous later, Naruko is gone._

 _What a strange day it's been._

 _Hinata dials Ino back up as she slides into her car._

 _"Hyuuga, you better not be calling me while driving," her best friend says in lieu of a greeting._

 _"The key's not even in the ignition yet!" Hinata protests. "And I'll put you on speaker phone beforehand, okay? Jesus."_

 _"Thin ice."_

 _"Whatever."_

 _"So… you get the poor guy fired or what?"_

Hinata grins. "Not only did I do that, but I've also managed to get a full fucking refund." She sighs happily as she adjusts her rearview mirror. "Sometimes, it pays to be a Hyuuga. Literally."

"A full refund? For overpriced meds? No fucking way."

 _"Way! I got the receipts right here." Hinata snickers at her own joke, glancing down at the tiny slip of paper in question, and what she notices gives her immediate pause:_

— A-Pheromonal Inhibitors (Extra-Strength) _  
_— Rut Suppressants (High-Grade)

 _"… Huh," Hinata hums to herself._

 _"What?"_

 _"Nothing. But I might have just solved a problem for myself."_

 _/_

 _As soon as Hinata steps into the bustling cybercafé, a now somewhat familiar voice calls out to her, "Hey, Hinata! Over here!"_

 _She immediately spots Naruko in the far corner, the only patron waving like mad to secure Hinata's attention. Hinata strides over, offering Naruko a small smile as she joins her at the rickety table._

 _"First thing's first!" Naruko announces before Hinata can even open her mouth. "How do you take your coffee?"_

 _"Black."_

 _Naruko falters, a hand coming up to touch her glasses. "Just… just black? No creamer or sugar? Chocolate syrup? Whipped cream maybe? Mini marshmallows?"_

 _"God, no," Hinata scoffs. "Just black."_

 _"Okay. Just black," Naruko says, nodding to herself. "Easy enough to remember. Be back in a jiffy!"_

 _Naruko rushes off in a flurry of blonde hair and flapping flannel, leaving Hinata to quietly wonder just how she's managed to find herself in the company of someone who says things like_ jiffy _without the slightest hint of irony. And how she might actually go through with her proposition anyway._

It doesn't take long for Naruko to retrieve the drinks, and soon she's setting Hinata's plain coffee before her while wielding a monstrosity of a drink for herself—one that appears to contain every single ingredient mentioned earlier and then some.

A talker who's fond of sugar highs then. Charming.

 _"So,_ Naruko _…" Hinata says, precisely cutting off the blonde mid-run-on sentence about how many times she's been to this particular coffee shop. "I must confess that I actually have an ulterior motive for meeting you today."_

 _"You mean, besides me inviting you here to meet me?"_

 _"Yes." Hinata indulges in an extended sip of her coffee, letting the caffeine ground her. "About your meds…"_

 _"… Yes…?" Naruko hesitantly picks up her own cup and swallows a mouthful that's more whipped cream than not. "If you need to be compensated, my paycheck should be in by now."_

 _"What?_ No _, that's not…" Hinata sighs and shakes her head. Then grabbing her coffee, she gets to her feet in a single brusque movement. "Coming?"_

 _"… Huh?" Naruko blinks up at Hinata in obvious confusion._

 _"I'm going for a walk. Follow me," Hinata says matter-of-factly, already turning on her heel._

 _She's almost reached the exit before she hears a sudden screech of a chair being pushed back and then Naruko is there holding the door open for her._

 _Hinata doesn't say anything as they travel across campus, raising the occasional eyebrow in warning whenever Naruko tries to break the silence or ask questions. It's only when they reach a more sparsely populated area that Hinata finally relents._

 _"Sorry about that. I just wanted to be on the move during our little discussion because the topic I'm about to bring up is somewhat… sensitive."_

 _"Okay, but like—"_

 _Hinata impatiently waves away Naruko's question before it can even take shape. She takes another sip of coffee, quietly gathering her words as they walk side by side. But as the prolonged silence stretches on and on, Naruko begins to give off waves of unadulterated anxiety, all the while keeping her gaze affixed to the ground. Which of course just_ begs _the question._

 _"Were those pills from yesterday yours?"_

 _"Yes?" Naruko doesn't look over, but her brow furrows ever so slightly._

 _"You don't sound so sure."_

 _Naruko huffs. "Yes, they're_ mine. _Who else's would it be?"_

 _"I don't know," Hinata says, her tone conversational. "A friend? A co-worker? An alpha boyfriend of yours perhaps? I don't know your life."_

 _"I don't have a boyfriend. Or a girlfriend. Or… um, anyone at the moment."_

 _Hinata shoots a glance over at the blonde, notes the already blushing cheeks, and hums to herself. "You probably get this a lot… but you don't really come across as an alpha."_

 _"Okay," Naruko says with a frown. "But I am."_

 _"And… if I were to ask you to prove it?"_

 _All of a sudden, Hinata finds herself without a walking partner, Naruko having come to an abrupt stop somewhere behind her. She slows her own steps, turning around to regard the blonde, and there's a hard glint to her narrowed blue eyes._

 _"Not all of us wear our statuses on our sLeeves like it's designer perfume, okay?" Naruko gets out through gritted teeth. "And I didn't ask to meet so I could be…_ interrogated _. I just wanted to do something nice for you because you did something nice for me. But if you're going to be like_ this, _I'd rather us part ways now."_

 _Hinata's lips slowly curve into a pleased smile. She approaches the alpha in languid strides, reaching out to place a delicate hand on Naruko's forearm._

 _"All right then. No more interrogation," Hinata says, giving the arm a small squeeze. "And_ thank you _for the coffee. I really do appreciate it."_

 _Naruko just gives a stiff nod, eyeing the hand on her arm with some suspicion. But as Hinata continues to release soothing pheromones and rub gentle circles into Naruko's skin with her thumb, the tension falters then gradually eases out of Naruko's shoulders._

 _Once satisfied, Hinata tugs at Naruko's sLeeve. "Come on. There's more I'd like to discuss."_

And Naruko allows herself to be led away.

 _/_

 _"Please sit," Hinata says, planting herself on a bench and tapping the spot next to her until Naruko follows suit. "So. I have a proposition for you."_

 _"What kind of proposition?"_

 _Hinata turns to Naruko, who's already facing her with rapt attention. "One thing you need to know about me is that I'm_ very _serious about my academic career. I'm one of the_ only _omegas in our highly competitive engineering program and I also happen to be the top student in most of my classes. All of which only matters_ if _I can maintain my stellar GPA."_

 _Naruko nods hesitantly. "Okay…"_

 _"And as you may already know, heats are always a very difficult time for us omegas, and the average un-suppressed heat can last anywhere from 48 to 72 hours. Sometimes longer. I've once had a heat that lasted a whole_ five _days." Hinata sighs heavily. "And that's just too much time to be losing on a monthly basis, you know? Especially when I have so much on the line this academic year."_

 _Naruko nods again._

 _"But… if an alpha were to, let's say,_ help _me? That time would be cut down significantly. Just a measly four to six hours, which is much more manageable."_

 _Naruko doesn't nod this time. "Why are you telling me all this?"_

"Because I want you to help me."

 _"Help you…" Naruko says slowly. "Help you as in..._ sLeep _with you? As in having sex? With each other? Like, more than once?"_

 _"Correct." Hinata takes another sip of coffee while Naruko blinks rapidly at her. "I'd take heat suppressants if I could. But unfortunately the few brands that_ do _work for me also leave me with debilitating nausea the entire time. And that's just as terrible as my heats when it comes to grappling with differential equations."_

 _"Right, right, I understand that." Naruko pulls at her shirt collar and clears her throat. "But, um, why me? We've only just met. There has to be someone else—someone you_ know _—who can help you with this."_

 _"My old fuck buddy," Hinata says, and Naruko flinches at the term, "actually graduated last year. And all of my friends—bless their hearts—are either fellow omegas or betas, so they don't quite hit the spot. Not for lack of trying, let me tell you…"_

 _Naruko blushes profusely at that, the red traveling from her cheeks up to the very tips of her ears. "And I'm the next logical choice?" she squeaks out. "We're practically strangers!"_

 _"Well, actually, my first two choices rejected me."_

 _"What? Really? But how could anyone ever—" Naruko cuts herself off with a shake of her head, face suddenly scrunching up. "Wait, so I'm technically your_ third _choice?"_

 _"Third time's the charm, right?" Hinata offers Naruko a cheeky grin that isn't returned, so she sighs and nudges Naruko's knee with her own. "It's not like I wouldn't return the favor."_

 _"Return the favor?" Naruko's brow crinkles._

 _"Yeah, you know… You pound me silly during my heats. And I'll ride you till you break during your ruts," Hinata says in a breezy tone._

 _Naruko promptly chokes on her coffee._

 _"Oh, come on. I've seen your prescription," Hinata says. "With all those extra-strength phero-blockers and suppressants, your rutting periods can't be a very fun time."_

 _"I mean, no, they're not. But I take the meds so that my ruts_ won't _be a problem," Naruko protests. "It's an expensive situation, but it's manageable."_

 _Hinata drains the last of her coffee with a slow nod. "Yeah, I figured as much. But it was worth the shot, right? I should probably go though..." She gives Naruko one last smile and raises her now empty coffee cup. "Thanks for the free coffee and hearing me out. Maybe I'll see you around?"_

 _But as Hinata gets to her feet, Naruko's hand shoots out, fingers nimbly wrapping around Hinata's wrist._

 _"Wait. I can…" Naruko pauses then, swallowing hard. But when she finally looks up, her blue eyes are clear and match Hinata's own without any hesitation. "I will help you."_

 _"You will?" Hinata asks, incredulous. "But you just said…"_

"You don't have to… return the favor or anything," Naruko adds hastily. "But I can help you with your problem for the time being." And even as her cheeks grow pinker with each passing moment, her voice and eyes remain steady and sure. "Just until you can find a suitable replacement. An actual mate. Which shouldn't take long. I mean, look at you."

 _Hinata exhales a short laugh, shaking her head in clear disbelief._

 _"So, yeah," Naruko says. "I can be your… favor… buddy."_

 _"Do you even realize what you're agreeing to?" Hinata demands. "I want you to be_ absolutely _sure before you say yes."_

"Yes," _Naruko says immediately, emphatically, climbing to her feet._

 _The change in position forces Hinata to tilt her head up to maintain the eye contact, and suddenly she is_ very _aware of their acute height difference._

 _"I figure it's better me than… someone less savory?" Naruko continues with a shrug. "You know how alphas can be. With me as a safety net, you can at least take your time vetting your options."_

 _"Well. You don't have to convince_ me," _Hinata jokes. She then tugs at her wrist insistently, prompting Naruko to let go of her with a hasty_ oops sorry, _and extends her hand. "We have a deal."_

 _But just as Naruko goes to shake the hand, Hinata snatches it right back without warning._

 _"Wait, are you a virgin?"_

 _"What? No."_

 _Hinata narrows her eyes. "But have you slept with at least two different people?"_

 _"Yes..?"_

 _"How about three?"_

"Yes…" _Naruko insists, the slightest hint of annoyance coloring her tone._

 _"Mm… Okay."_

 _Hinata extends her hand once more, letting Naruko's surprisingly rough palm slide against her own in a firm grip._

 _"So... what now?" Naruko asks once they've released each other's hands. She shuffles her feet, eyes not quite averted but not quite matching Hinata's either, already retreating back to the apprehensive girl Hinata had met the only day before._

 _It's enough to tug an amused grin from Hinata's lips._

 _She pulls out her phone with an air of nonchalance. "Now… you tell me your plans for the upcoming Friday."_

 _"Um. I have class until 3:15pm."_

 _"Great. Be at my place by four then," Hinata says, already programming the appointment into her calendar. "I'll text you the address."_

 _"Wh-what?" Naruko sputters, eyes widening. "But you just had your heat! We shouldn't have to meet up for another month at least!"_

 _Hinata snorts. "You really think I'd take on a fuck buddy without giving them a test drive first? That's crazy."_

 _"Can we—can we not call it that?" Naruko says, once again flinching at the explicit phrase. "And—and we just shook hands! What was the point of shaking hands if you were just going to pull_ this _all along?"_

 _"Relax, alpha," Hinata practically purrs. She leans into Naruko's space, taking the time to brush some nonexistent dust off Naruko's shirt, as the blonde gapes down at her. "It's just a chemistry test, mm'kay?"_

 _"But I—um, I usually go to the gym after class." But Naruko's excuse is naught but a mumble and Hinata is already a few steps into her leave._

 _"Don't worry, I'll be sure to give you a workout," Hinata calls out over her shoulder, waggling her fingers in a haphazard wave. "See you then, Uzumaki."_

Friday rolls around and at exactly 4:02pm, Hinata receives a text message— _So… I think I'm outside your place?_ —and when she opens her front door, there Naruko is. In all her awkward glory, feet shuffling, eyes flitting back and forth, and hands shoved deep in her pockets.

"You live twenty minutes from campus," Naruko blurts out.

Hinata tilts her head, amused at the unorthodox greeting. "On a good day maybe. Usually my commute's closer to thirty, thirty-five minutes."

"… _Why?"_

"Because I like my space and real estate in college towns usually sucks?" Hinata says it like it's obvious even as Naruko continues to look at her baffled.

"Okay… It seems like overkill to move into a whole 'nother town, but…" Naruko trails off, glancing around the area sheepishly. "Is it okay if I park there?" She gestures at the dusty jeep in the driveway, seemingly out of place when parked side by side with Hinata's own immaculate Mercedes.

"Yep! I like your car, by the way," Hinata comments off-hand as she invites Naruko inside with one crooked finger. "Very… butch?"

"Thanks. I think…" Naruko hesitates right inside the doorway. "Should I… close the door?"

Hinata stares back at Naruko, both eyebrows raised. "Have you never been in someone else's home before? _Yes._ Close the door." She shakes her head, incredulous, leading Naruko further into the flat. "You want the grand tour of the place?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Wait, really?" Hinata says with a laugh. "I was just joking… I mean, it's a pretty standard set-up. Living room, kitchen, bathroom, closets... Several windows."

"Oh. Right." Naruko adjusts her glasses, which Hinata's starting to realize is more out of refNeji than need. "I was just trying to be polite, I guess."

"Well, quit it then." Hinata rolls her eyes. "It makes for bad sex."

And that makes Naruko go pink, her throat bobbing precariously, eyes focused intensely at her own hands fisted into her shirt.

Hinata sighs and decides to take pity. "Want to see the bedroom then? Real offer this time."

She raises her chin, very subtly angling her unmarked neck into plain view, and that simple gesture alone gets Naruko to stand slightly taller. Naruko gives a firm nod and when Hinata holds out an open hand, she takes it without hesitation. A triumphant grin twisting her lips, Hinata tugs the alpha down the hallway.

"You know… you don't really smell," Hinata brings up casually. "Do you take A-Blocks everyday?"

"Um, pretty much," Naruko says. "Except around the first of the month, where I switch out for rut suppressants."

"Why?"

"W-why?" Naruko blinks. "To, er, suppress my ruts? If I don't take them, things can get pretty bad and—"

Hinata turns and calmly presses a hand to Naruko's chest to stop her rambling. "No. What I mean is _why_ take such strong pheromone inhibitors all the time? It's not really the hip thing to do these days."

She pushes herself off Naruko and into the bedroom, leaving the alpha behind to hover by the doorway.

"Well, some of us don't like being prejudged before we even get the chance to open our mouths," Naruko says, and there's just a hint of defiance bLeeding into her tone.

Hinata strolls over to her vanity with a snort. "So, you're hiding…"

"No, not hiding. It's not a _secret,"_ Naruko protests hotly. "I just want people to see me as _me_ first. As _Naruko._ Regardless of my status because it _shouldn't_ matter."

Hinata smiles small, matching Naruko's eyes in the mirror, as she undoes her necklace. "Not the typical alpha attitude."

"Maybe you should meet more alphas then," Naruko counters, and Hinata is absolutely delighted.

"Maybe later. I'm good for now."

Hinata removes her earrings and lays them carefully on her dresser. As a consolation/birthday gift from mother, they have to remain in near mint condition for the next time she decides to barge in on Hinata's life. Her shoes are considerably less expensive, however, and Hinata kicks them off in a more haphazard fashion. It isn't until she's bending down to pull off her socks that Hinata notices Naruko staring at her in the mirror. Hinata raises an eyebrow back at her.

"What… are you doing?" Naruko asks.

Hinata scoffs. "I don't like having sex with socks on, what of it?" Naruko flushes a bright red on the spot. "We're still…" Hinata tilts her head. "You're still on board with that, right?"

"Yup, yup! Of course. Why wouldn't… I… be?" Naruko squeaks out, hands crushed into a single tight fist before her, eyes darting everywhere but at Hinata or the queen size bed behind her.

Straightening up, Hinata turns around to fix Naruko with a questioning stare. "Hey."

"Yeah?"

"You know we don't have to do this, right?" Hinata says slowly. "I know that you promised or whatever, but that literally means nothing outside of a notarized contract. If you're not feeling a 100% up to it, we can just call it off. Right here, right now. No hard feelings."

"No! I'm fine. Really!" Naruko clears her throat, looks off to the side. "Unless you're not up for it, of course."

"Naruko, _please…"_ Hinata says with a scoff. "If it were up to me, you'd already have me bent over this dresser balls deep."

Naruko just stares, jaw slightly dropped.

"Well, not _balls_ balls," Hinata hastily amends. "I know _you_ don't—I've been with female alphas before, I mean…"

She shakes her head. Naruko's anxiety must be rubbing off on her. Determined to regain the upper hand, Hinata reaches up and undoes her hair tie, shaking her dark tresses out of the lazy bun.

Gathering her hair in one hand, Hinata asks, "So, what do you think? Up or down?"

For a few seconds, Naruko seems legitimately at a loss for words. "I… am not quite sure what you're asking."

"Which do you prefer on me?" Hinata asks very seriously. "Hair up? Or down?"

"I mean, you look—uh, _yeah,_ either way. So. I don't know." Naruko swallows, pushing her glasses up her nose.

 _Much_ better.

Lips curving into a satisfied smirk, Hinata drops her hair again, letting the loose strands hit her shoulders. Naruko's eyes practically flutter as they follow the movement. A good choice then.

"Now that's settled, let's get some pleasantries out of the way," Hinata says in a matter-of-fact tone, and Naruko straightens up right away. "First thing's first, I'm not on the pill. Is that a deal breaker for you?"

"N-no?" Naruko touches her glasses. "Are you opposed to other forms of birth control?"

"Not at all."

"What about… condoms?"

Hinata raises her eyebrows. "Do you have any on you?"

"Oh. No…" Naruko offers a sheepish smile.

Hinata hums to herself, fingers drumming against her arm. "How far away is your rut again?"

"It's not for another," Naruko trails off as she checks her phone, "19 days?"

"No danger of knotting then," Hinata concludes with a shrug. "I have regular condoms you can use in the meantime."

"O… kay."

"But you'll have to procure some A-Condoms before my next heat. Or we're going to have a problem," Hinata warns.

"Okay."

"Now for some ground rules." Hinata runs a hand through her hair as she thinks, gratified when she notices Naruko's eyes compulsively track the gesture. "First rule: no penetration without wearing condoms. No exceptions."

Naruko nods. "Okay."

"Second: absolutely _no_ biting or anything with teeth around here." Hinata brushes her hand from shoulder to shoulder. "I don't need you getting carried away and leaving anything… _permanent_ on me."

"Understood."

"If you find that you absolutely _have_ to leave a mark," Hinata continues, "just make sure it's nowhere visible with a V-neck. So, no chest or neck… But tits, stomach, and inner thighs are all fair game."

Naruko fidgets, but nods again.

"And my last rule, as always, is that either one of us can call this off at anytime for whatever reason, no questions asked," Hinata says with a flourish. "Anything you'd like to add?"

"Not that I can think of," Naruko says slowly. "Everything you just said sounds… good— _fine._ Er. Good. Great? _Good._ Good. _"_

"Good," Hinata says with a smirk. "Glad we're in agreement."

"You want another handshake?" Naruko tries to joke.

Hinata shakes her head. "No. We'll just seal it with a kiss."

And Hinata approaches Naruko in a slow stride, meticulously noting the stiff limbs and posture that await her. But when she presents her hands palms up, Naruko readily places her own on top, even loosening up a little when Hinata gives her a reassuring squeeze.

"Relax, alpha. It's just sex," Hinata says, tugging herself a little closer.

" _Just_ sex," Naruko echoes with a breathless laugh. "Yup. Not even an issue. A very non-issue, in fact. Just like a very not—"

"Still nervous?" Hinata cuts in, saving them both from the rambling.

"Mmm… a little bit, yeah."

"It's okay. We'll start slow," Hinata assures her, giving Naruko's hands another gentle squeeze. "Okay, how's this?"

She raises one of Naruko's hands to her lips and plants soft kisses at the tips of her fingers. After a slight pause, she continues her journey at a languid pace, pressing her lips to Naruko's knuckles, then to the inside of her wrist, all the while making sure Naruko has the time to pull away if uncomfortable.

But Naruko doesn't.

Instead, she just releases a shaky breath, "That—that's okay, yeah."

Hinata smiles and Naruko promptly returns it, so she takes a step closer, bringing Naruko's hand up to her hair. "Still okay?"

"Yep…" Naruko tangles her hand in Hinata's hair, letting the dark strands slip through her fingers. "You have really soft hair."

"Thank you," Hinata purrs, taking another step closer. She guides Naruko's hand again, this time dragging the alpha's fingertips down her neck.

"And soft skin…" Naruko says in a hitched voice. Her fingers slide, curling around Hinata's neck almost instinctively, her palm skimming the pale surface of Hinata's skin.

Hinata chuckles as she carefully pries the fingers off her. "No choking, love," she says with a wink. "Not today anyway."

Naruko starts sputtering right away. "No! I wasn't—"

"Uh huh. _Sure…_ " Hinata teases, practically pushing up against Naruko's body now. "Do you want to kiss me?"

Naruko swallows hard, and Hinata can almost detect a faint musk of the alpha's arousal seeping past the phero-blockers. And it's funny. Because before this, Hinata's never been with someone who gets so flustered so easily around her. And honestly? It's totally doing it for her.

"Here," Hinata says. She tilts her head, sweeping her hair over one shoulder, the movement catching Naruko's ever watchful eye. "Kiss me here."

Naruko gives no resistance as Hinata tugs her head down, even pressing two chaste kisses where Hinata's shoulder meets her neck.

"Good," Hinata murmurs, gently scratching at Naruko's scalp in encouragement.

Naruko brushes her lips against Hinata's skin once more, for longer this time, her tongue darting out for a slight taste, and Hinata sighs in contentment.

"Better." Hinata draws back, matching Naruko's wide blue eyes with her own. "Can I kiss you now?"

She waits for the small nod before leaning in for a chaste peck, swiftly moving on to scatter kisses down Naruko's neck before the alpha can even think to reciprocate. But any potential protests are cut off with a muffled grunt when Hinata sucks on her pulse point.

Hinata actually laughs against Naruko's neck. "See? Aren't you glad we're figuring this out now instead of during my heat?" she says. "Because believe me, hormone-addled me would be a _lot_ more impatient about all this."

"Honestly…" Naruko's breath stutters as Hinata drags her tongue up her neck.

"Honestly?" Hinata prompts in a soft murmur against Naruko's ear. She punctuates it with a nip, and Naruko shivers, goosebumps breaking out all over her skin.

"Honestly, I thought you would find someone else by your next heat," Naruko quickly gets out in a strained voice. Her hands are fisted in her own shirt again and her breathing has picked up considerably.

Hinata chuckles. "Sorry to disappoint."

"No. I'm not disappointed," Naruko says, suddenly earnest. "I'm just saying that—" Hinata interrupts with one finger pressed to the alpha's lips.

"Kiss me."

And Naruko does, and the next few moments consist only of soft lips moving carefully against Hinata's, parting at the slightest hint of tongue, allowing Hinata to lick into Naruko's mouth with purpose. When she tugs on Naruko's lower lip with her teeth, the blonde actually _groans,_ and the sound pleases her inner omega to no end.

Hinata pulls back to say something, but Naruko just moves with her, chasing her lips, yanking Hinata back by the hips and into yet another bruising kiss. Eventually, Hinata has to fist a hand into Naruko's shirt and give her chest a firm shove before the alpha knows to let go.

Naruko blinks down at Hinata in confusion, breathing hard, eyes darkening and lips swollen with kisses. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm taking this off," Hinata says, her voice throatier than she would have preferred.

She plucks at Naruko's shirt, waiting for the nod before her fingers go to undo the buttons one by one, revealing a simple black sports bra and…

"Oh. Okay…" Hinata's fingers skate down the newly revealed tan skin, tracing the defined contours carved into Naruko's stomach. The muscles jump against her touch. "Right. You work out. You've said."

"Yup…" Naruko says, unsure. "Do you, uh, do you like this…?" Her hands slip off Hinata's hips, one coming up to adjust her glasses, all frenzy from earlier shed in a single instant.

Which, of course, simply will not do.

"I'm only human, Naruko," Hinata says, rolling her eyes. She throws the shirt off Naruko's now noticeably broad shoulders and a thrill runs down her spine at the sight.

It's strange to think that awkward, ponytailed Naruko Uzumaki would be built like a statuesque Greek god underneath all her clothes, both chiseled and beautiful. Sure, alphas have always been blessed with higher levels of testosterone and other hormones that improve muscle growth, but Naruko's surprising physique is still as ridiculous as it is welcome.

But the ample skin on display, though enticing and much appreciated, is hardly enough to appease Hinata's current level of thirst. So, she runs a hand down Naruko's side, then up her jean-clad leg, coming all the way up to cup the alpha between her legs. A soft groan leaves Naruko's mouth, her hands flying to grip Hinata's upper arms so hard it's almost painful.

"Sensitive," Hinata comments.

"It's, ah, been a while." Naruko's eyes are closed, her breaths already reduced to unsteady pants.

"How long?"

"A year? I think?"

"A year?" Hinata caresses Naruko through her jeans, grinning when the alpha's hips jump up to press against her hand. "How tragic."

"It's not so bad," Naruko says, voice hitching.

"Well, _someone's_ into this all of a sudden," Hinata teases, surging forward to press their lips back together.

Naruko kisses her back slowly, distractedly, but when Hinata rubs harder against the now prominent bulge, she breaks away from the kiss with a choked groan. Hinata quickly tugs her back by the chin.

"Don't stop kissing me."

Hinata grabs both of Naruko's hands, setting one at her neck and the other at her hip in a firm press. Naruko eagerly complies, grabbing ahold of Hinata's body, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss with little hesitation. She releases a startled grunt when Hinata does away with her belt and zipper, but doesn't pause in her ministrations. Not even when Hinata yanks at her loosened jeans, letting them hit the floor with a metallic clink.

But then Hinata slides her palm past the waistband of Naruko's boxers, fingers finally wrapping around Naruko's rapidly hardening cock for the first time, and Naruko is forced to break away once more, overtaken by her loudest groan yet.

Hinata acquiesces and lets Naruko bury her face into her shoulder. Naruko lets out a small whimper, her desperate fingers scrabbling past Hinata's shirt, digging into her skin, hanging on for dear life. When Hinata gives Naruko a few exploratory pumps with a loose fist, her precum readily runs over Hinata's fingers, facilitating the movement.

"Yup. Definitely an alpha," Hinata tries to quip, but the words come out breathless as she pushes Naruko's boxers down past her hips. Because Naruko's cock may not be the biggest she's ever encountered in the course of her extensive sex life, but it's still much larger than average and incredibly _thick,_ pulsing insistently in her hand. "Wow. Good for you," she murmurs as she takes in the view.

But Naruko seems beyond language, only able to express herself with a desperate whine muffled against Hinata's shoulder. So, Hinata tangles her fingers loosely in Naruko's hair and pulls her close, all the while maintaining the steady glide of her hand, twisting up and down Naruko's considerable length.

With the way Naruko's already twitching in her hand, heavy and throbbing with pressure, Hinata knows that there is no way that the alpha will last long enough to fuck her this time around.

"Hey, Naruko," Hinata murmurs into the blonde hair. "Naruko?" But still no response, so Hinata gives her a warning squeeze. Gentle but firm enough to count. "... _Naruko."_

"Yes?" the alpha finally answers in a strangled gasp, breath hitting Hinata's skin, lighting it up with goosebumps. _"What?"_

"If I let you come, can you get hard again?"

Naruko twitches in Hinata's hand, whimpers spilling from her mouth as if in pain, but doesn't answer. Hinata gives her another warning squeeze, this time right at the thick base of her cock.

"Yes— _yes!_ For you, I can," comes the hasty, strangled reply.

Gratified, Hinata continues the slow pump of her fist and Naruko shudders against her in relief. "Change of plans then," Hinata says, kissing up Naruko's sharp jawline. "I'm going to get you off like this first." She makes her point with a squeeze, ripping another groan from the alpha's lips. "Then we'll get in bed and you can pay me back by fucking the living day—"

Naruko's entire body goes rigid, her cock giving the most powerful throb yet, and Naruko's coming into Hinata's hand with a sharp cry. A heavy burst of come erupts from the head, the warm fluid splashing onto Hinata's hand and forearm, and… all over Hinata's black skirt.

Even as she inwardly groans, Hinata keeps her pace in stroking Naruko's shuddering cock, letting the alpha ride out her release in relative peace. When rapid spurts eventually peter out, Hinata swipes her thumb across the tip to coax out one last weak pulse of dribbling fluid before taking her hand away.

"… Sorry," Naruko mumbles into Hinata's shoulder, after a moment of heavy breaths. "For… uh…" She pulls back and offers an embarrassed pinched expression as they both study the impressive stain splattered across Hinata's skirt.

"Eh. It was coming off anyway," Hinata says, shrugging a shoulder. She glances down at her hand, still sticky with Naruko's release, then wipes it off on the back of her skirt. No harm done when it's already beyond salvageable. "You're lucky I'm rich."

And with that, Hinata pushes past Naruko and toward the bed, shedding her skirt and kicking it aside in one simple movement. The shirt goes next just as quickly. She hops backwards onto the bed and is in the process of shimmying down her thong when she notices Naruko just staring after her.

"Well? Are you coming or what?" Hinata asks, flashing a cheeky grin at her little joke.

Naruko opens and closes her mouth in apparent shock, hands hovering over her cock as if to hide it. As if they _could_ hide it. "You still want to..? With me?"

Hinata rolls her eyes. "You think this is the first time that _that's_ happened to me? Please, I know what I look like." She pats at the bed, insistent and impatient. "So, come _on."_

Naruko stumbles her very first step, jeans still caught around her ankles. She hops on one leg then the other and somehow manages to fling the pants halfway across the room. With an apologetic smile that Hinata deflects with another eye-roll, Naruko removes her boxers then her shoes and slinks over to the bed, where Hinata all but hauls the alpha on top of her.

"Can I go down on you?" Naruko asks, settling herself above Hinata. Her eyes are sincere as they stay focused on Hinata's own, as if she hasn't even thought to ogle Hinata even in her state of undress.

Hinata almost laughs. "Maybe another time. Right now I just need you to fuck me. But… points for offering," she says with a smirk. Naruko blinks and nods, leaning in for a kiss, but Hinata stops her with a hand to her chest. "No, I mean it. Condoms are in the nightstand."

Naruko's gone and back in a flash, the tip of her cock accidentally bumping into Hinata's clit in her haste, and Hinata can't stifle the tiny whimper that bubbles up at the unexpected jolt of pleasure. Somehow, the alpha is already rock hard again.

"S-sorry," Naruko says, touching her glasses, and Hinata almost wants to take her by the shoulders and just shake her.

But instead, she just tugs at Naruko's bra strap. "Stop apologizing and take your bra off."

Once Naruko obliges her, Hinata yanks her back down and Naruko comes willingly, her warm skin sliding against Hinata's for the first time. Hinata revels in the pleasant weight pressing down on her, and when Naruko moans and bucks her hips when Hinata rubs her thumbs over Naruko's pretty pink nipples, Hinata revels in that too.

Naruko takes advantage of their newfound proximity by leaning in for another kiss.

"You really like kissing, huh?" Hinata comments against Naruko's lips, and Naruko just gives a small hum of agreement before deepening the kiss, tongue pushing into Hinata's mouth with intention.

As inexperienced Naruko might have been with physical intimacy, she is definitely no stranger to kissing. And she's admittedly a pretty damn good one at that too.

But Hinata, of course, needs more.

With her frustration increasing exponentially, Hinata seizes Naruko's hand and guides it down her body. Past her stomach. Past the neat triangle of coarse hair. And… they both moan gratuitously at the resulting contact—Hinata in relief, Naruko in wonder.

"You're so wet…" Naruko sounds dumbfounded, even as her fingers swipe through the copious slick between Hinata's legs.

"Yes! So stop messing around and—" Hinata's demands culminate in a shout as Naruko enters her with two fingers. She throws her head back into the pillow, the sudden pressure giving way to a pleasant ache and a slight stretch, and the relief of it all makes it almost worth all those precious minutes wasted on foreplay.

Well, maybe not _completely_ wasted, considering her level of arousal. The evidence of which now fills the room with an obscene wet sound as Naruko's fingers slide in and out of her cunt with ease.

Naruko's thrusts are deliberate. Exploratory. She studies Hinata's face with careful eyes, experimenting with different movements and speeds. "You're so tight," she says.

"Ye- _ep,"_ Hinata's voice hitches as Naruko curls her fingers against her front wall. "So, don't you want to see just how tight I'll feel around your cock?" She emphasizes her point by squeezing down on Naruko's fingers while wrapping her own around Naruko's thick shaft.

Naruko bucks into Hinata's hand, a powerful shudder running down her entire body, her cock already starting to twitch again. "Yes," she grits out.

And without any more prompting, Naruko fumbles for the condom, tearing the packet and slipping the latex on with only a little difficulty. She braces herself over Hinata's body again, giving herself a few slow pumps.

"Can I…?" Naruko asks, guiding her cock against Hinata. The blunt tip glides through the wetness, clumsily fitting against Hinata's entrance, and Hinata's hips jump at the contact.

"Mm, fuck…" Hinata moans, eyes closing tightly. "Yes, Naruko. Just… fuck me already." And it's a needy request, which should be embarrassing, but Hinata can't find it in herself to care. Not when the blissful relief of fullness is only moments and a thrust away.

Emboldened by the adamant consent, Naruko lines herself up with Hinata's entrance and presses forward. Hinata gasps as her inner muscles immediately start to protest, pulsing as they try to accommodate the thick head pushing its way inside, and _God,_ Naruko feels so much bigger like this than she had coming in Hinata's hand. Soft whimpers continue to fall from Hinata's lips as Naruko gently prods and pushes into her. Until finally Naruko gives a weak thrust and Hinata can't help the high-pitched cry torn from her lungs as the thick head sinks inside, past the clenching ring of muscle, effectively splitting her open.

"Are you okay?" Naruko asks in a soft, husky voice, nosing Hinata's hair.

"Yes. Just keep going," Hinata says through gritted teeth. She tries to color her tone with exasperation, but any and all sense of irritability has gone out the window with the first push of Naruko's hips, and her words hold no bite. Only need and desire.

Naruko moves slow, her thick shaft sliding against Hinata's sensitive walls, and with every inch buried, Hinata's legs tremble just a little harder. Eventually, Hinata has to bite down on her lip to muffle the embarrassing sounds that threaten to spill out at the steadily deepening stretch.

After what seems like an eternity, Naruko finally bottoms out, her hips flush with Hinata's, the head of her cock nudging against Hinata's cervix, and the alpha releases a low groan right into Hinata's neck, "You feel so good around me… So warm. So _tight..."_

"You better not come," is Hinata's hurried, breathless reply.

"No," Naruko agrees, blinking down at Hinata. "Can I move?" Her hips start to retreat, the thick length dragging back through the clenching heat.

Hinata whimpers and grabs onto Naruko's hips, nails biting into her skin. "Hold on. Fuck." She drops her head back into her pillow with a throaty moan. "Fuck, you're big..."

Naruko's cock twitches at the praise, her hands fisting tightly on either side of Hinata's head, but the alpha manages to keep her hips frozen for the time being. "Okay. Just… let me know," she says in an overly controlled tone.

"I'd like to formally apologize for ever questioning your alpha status," Hinata tries to joke, but her words taper off into a helpless whine.

Naruko laughs softly anyway. "Maybe next time I'll just flash you. Cut to the chase?"

Hinata groans, this time in exasperation. "I hope you're better at fucking than you are at telling jokes."

"You'll have to tell me."

Hinata nods and hooks a hand around Naruko's neck to brace herself. "Okay. I'm ready."

With a nod of her own, Naruko continues with her earlier endeavors, pulling out until only the tip of her cock remains. Then with a solid push, she slides right back in to the hilt, and Hinata's eyes are rolling back with a shout.

"Still okay?" Naruko asks, voice strained, and just hearing how affected the alpha is sends pleasant flutters along Hinata's inner walls.

But enough is enough.

Hinata yanks Naruko down into a heated kiss, using an obscene amount of tongue, hopefully obviating the need for any more questions. She cants her hips up, taking Naruko in just a bit deeper, and Naruko muffles a groan into Hinata's mouth.

And the alpha finally seems to get the hint. She braces herself on an elbow and her hips _finally_ start to roll against Hinata's with renewed purpose.

The thrusts start out slow, but gradually come faster and harder with Hinata's urging, her hand frantically tugging at Naruko's hip in attempts to bring her closer. And it's clear Naruko takes an immense amount of pleasure in her sounds, often echoing Hinata's helpless moans with ones of her own, thrusting in a little deeper with her cock each time. When the blunt tip slips in at a new angle, rubbing against the ridged spot on Hinata's front wall, and Hinata lets out her loudest cry yet, Naruko eagerly chases this new sound with her hips.

"Sensitive," Naruko grunts out.

Hinata very briefly considers kneeing the alpha for throwing her own words back at her. But the confident undertone along with the low rasp of Naruko's voice just brings a flood between her legs, aiding the relentless slide of Naruko's cock pushing inside her. So, she vindictively squeezes around the thick length instead.

Naruko's breath hitches, her hips faltering. "… _Oh."_ And with that, she begins fucking Hinata in earnest, with abandon, without the slightest hesitation in her tireless hips.

And Hinata finally feels that slow crawl toward climax building at the base of her spine, her breaths stuttering each time Naruko bottoms out. She clutches onto Naruko's solid shoulders, hips coming up to meet Naruko's thrust by thrust, waiting for the blissful release to come washing over her. But before long, the steady climb ebbs away to nothing as Naruko's thrusts start to taper off unevenly, a slight haze drifting over her unfocused blue eyes.

Determined to curb bad habits, Hinata wraps Naruko's now messy blonde hair around her fist, yanking just hard enough to get her attention. Naruko breaks off her rhythm with a grunt, looking down at Hinata in question, glasses slipping down her nose.

"Ladies first, alpha," Hinata growls, fingers tightening against Naruko's scalp. "You already had your turn, so don't you _dare_ come before me."

Naruko whines, but resumes her thrusts at a more deliberate pace. Her breaths are still heavy and tinged with helpless groans as she plunges deep inside Hinata's cunt, bringing another shaky gasp to the omega's lips. Hinata clenches down on instinct and Naruko practically squirms at the sensation, her cock twitching insistently within the tight channel. After a long moment to compose herself, Naruko returns to the rhythm, her face wandering back to Hinata's neck. Hinata gives Naruko's hair another warning tug, but the alpha just kisses her skin with only her lips and tongue, no teeth.

"Can you come like this?" Naruko asks, giving a particularly hard thrust for emphasis and Hinata gasps, hand flying to grasp Naruko's shoulder.

"Yes… Just keep going."

And so Naruko does. She moves her hips at a steady pace, pushing herself deeper and deeper into the clinging wet heat. Each forceful thrust is punctuated with a needy whimper, increasingly strained with every pass, until eventually, the alpha's body is trembling with her efforts to hold back her orgasm.

So, Hinata decides to relent like the considerate, thoughtful fuck buddy she is.

She softens her hold on Naruko's hair, tugs very gently. "It's okay, Naruko. You can— _mmph, fuck!"_

Hinata bucks against Naruko's hand, slipped so suddenly between their bodies, fingers pressing deliberate circles to her swollen clit, and Hinata is sent hurtling over the edge with very little warning. She comes with a shout that's more expletive than not, nails biting into Naruko's shoulder blades, her back arching against the bed, hips jerking erratically.

Naruko's own rhythm falters then, teeth clenched as she feels Hinata's inner muscles squeezing and fluttering around her shaft. With two more clumsy pumps of her hips, Naruko buries herself to the hilt, dragging another strangled cry out of Hinata, and groans her release into Hinata's neck.

The alpha collapses in a heap on top of Hinata and she allows it, still caught in the pleasant haze of her orgasm. She strokes Naruko's hair, loosened from her ponytail and sweaty with exertion, as they both work to slowly catch their breath. Once the heartbeat pulsing against her chest has slowed to a more reasonable rate, Hinata glances at her watch. With a hum, she shifts underneath Naruko's body, but with little success. She taps at Naruko's shoulder.

"Hm?" Naruko mumbles into Hinata's neck.

"Get off," Hinata says.

Naruko picks herself up to look at Hinata, inadvertently shifting her pelvis and bringing a tiny moan to Hinata's lips. But the alpha doesn't seem to notice. "I… er, did? Couldn't you tell?"

Hinata rolls her eyes. "Off me. Get off _me,"_ she says, slapping lightly at Naruko's arm. "You're hot."

"Oh, right." Naruko carefully extricates herself, grunting as Hinata's inner muscles instinctively tighten around the thick shaft as she pulls out. "Sorry." She's quick to scramble off the bed, gingerly slipping off the condom and tossing it into a nearby trashcan.

Hinata clenches down at the newfound emptiness, reveling in the resulting ache, and sighs happily. "Definitely going to feel _that_ tomorrow…" She combs a hand through her tangled hair a few times before pulling it into a hasty bun.

"Sorry," Naruko says again. She's cupped herself in a futile attempt to cover her softening cock with one hand while clutching onto her jeans with the other. Her eyes scan the room, bouncing around everywhere but at the bed where Hinata's sitting, no doubt in search of her missing boxers. "Um. Have you seen…?"

Hinata exhales a laugh through her nose. Hopping off the bed, she approaches Naruko at a leisurely pace, casually picking up the discarded underwear in question on the way. She presses the boxers to Naruko's bare chest and smirks up at the now blushing alpha.

"Do you want me to get it cleaned?" Hinata asks in a purr. "I can't help but feel somewhat responsible for the mess." She lets the boxers drop into Naruko's open hands.

"The mess? Oh." Naruko flushes an even darker red as she notices the wet spot at the front, where her precum had smeared all over the flimsy fabric. "That's… fine. I can do laundry." Then she winces, guilty eyes flicking down to Hinata's skirt. "Do you want me to wash that for you too?"

Hinata just snorts, waves her off. "Don't worry about it. I'm just going to toss it."

Naruko scratches the back of her head. "Sorry again."

"You know, I've never known anyone to apologize as much as you do during sex," Hinata comments, shaking her head. "Believe me. If you've done something unacceptable, _I'll_ be the one demanding an apology from _you,_ okay?"

"Okay." Naruko's face actually breaks out into a bright smile, and it's adorable enough that Hinata has to push herself off her chest.

"Do you mind? Getting dressed?" Hinata prompts when Naruko stares at her blankly. "I have dinner plans."

"Oh, right, so—" Naruko trails off, grapples for another word, "— _rry_ …" and fails miserably. Shaking her head at herself, Naruko quickly pulls on her boxers, cringing slightly as the wet spot touches her skin. She's about to step into her jeans when she hesitates, looking up to find Hinata watching her get dressed wearing nothing but a lacy bra and a smirk herself.

"Problem?" Hinata asks pleasantly.

"N-nope." Naruko finishes pulling on her clothes posthaste.

After a short pause, Hinata tilts her head. "Do you want me to walk you out?" she asks as Naruko continues to look over with expectant eyes.

"Oh, no! I can let myself out," Naruko says right away.

"Nonsense. Let me walk you out," Hinata says with a wink. "You've earned that much, at least." She undoes her bra with a quick twist of her fingers, letting it drop to the ground, and Naruko's jaw nearly drops along with it. Hinata crinkles her brow in amusement. "Naruko. Your dick's been _inside_ me. I think you can handle a pair of tits," she says in a dry tone.

"I wasn't… looking. I'm sorr— _no._ Hm…" Naruko studiously inspects her own hands.

"You can look." Hinata takes her time putting on her robe while Naruko tries her hardest to pretend she's not actually looking. "Come on, alpha…" she purrs, tugging Naruko by her untucked shirttails.

"You're walking me out? Dressed like that?" Naruko says incredulously, even as she lets herself be led out into the hall.

"I'm headed straight to the shower after this," Hinata says. "I can't show up to dinner smelling like sex and alpha sweat, as pleasant as it sounds."

"Right, right." Naruko ducks her head. "Makes sense."

Hinata opens the door for Naruko, making sure to keep her body behind it. She's not _that_ much of an exhibitionist after all.

Naruko shuffles her feet. "Um. Bye?"

"Bye. Thanks for the orgasm," Hinata says, brushing her hand against Naruko's chest with a coy smile.

"No problem…" Naruko hesitates at the doorway, turns around. "So, did I pass the test? Or…?"

Hinata laughs. "Right. The test. Well…" She leans against the door, her fingertips tapping on the wood as she thinks. "Let's see. You're big. You look good naked. You're _great_ at kissing. And… you don't seem to have too many bad habits in need of correcting. So, yeah. I can use you," she concludes with a shrug.

"Until you find an _actual_ mate with benefits," Naruko reminds her.

Hinata rolls her eyes. "Well, yeah, that goes without saying. Now get out of here. I was serious about those dinner plans."

"Of course, right. Goodbye."

Naruko takes a step outside the door. Pauses. Then all of sudden, she's whirling around with purpose, one hand gliding up Hinata's neck and tangling in her hair, dragging her into a heated kiss. Her soft lips move firmly against Hinata's, tongue briefly slipping past her teeth, then she's gone, pulled back to give Hinata a lopsided grin.

"Just sealing it with a kiss," Naruko says cheerfully.

Hinata is left blinking and slightly breathless. "Right…" she manages to get out.

"Okay, bye!" Naruko bolts.

Hinata peeks out from behind the door. Watches as flapping blonde hair catches in the steadily diminishing sunlight. Sees Naruko skid midway to her car just to call over her shoulder— _Oh, and see you in class!—_ before transitioning back into her hasty jog.

Hinata shakes her head to herself as she closes the door, her fingers lingering at her lips. Her friends are going to have a goddamn field day over this.

 _"So, how was it?" is the first thing out of Ino's mouth as soon as the waitress leaves the table with their food orders._

 _"How was_ what?" _Hinata asks, even as her eyebrow raises in warning. She's never been particularly adept at playing dumb even when the situation calls for it._

 _"The_ sex," _Ino says without preamble. And much to Hinata's chagrin and the delight of everyone else at the table, the clarification is loud enough that it interrupts a nearby server trying to announce the soup of the day._

 _"Now, come on, Ino," Kiba says, leaning in conspiratorially. "Give her some breathing room. It's been a grand total of what? Two hours?"_

 _Ino scoffs, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "So? I can pretty much tell who's going to be a good lay after two_ seconds." _She seizes Hinata's shoulder in an enthusiastic grip for emphasis. "Take Lee here for example. When we first met, I thought she'd be a real_ fun _time, and within minutes, I was proven right. It's full proof." She caps off her declaration with an over-the-top kiss to Hinata's cheek._

 _"You're insufferable, Yamanaka," Hinata grumbles, pushing Ino off and rubbing lipstick off her skin._

 _"You have to give us_ something _at least," Tenten says, sounding ludicrously reasonable considering the context. "Not all of us have such involved, sexually enriched lives to draw gossip from, you know."_

 _Ino scowls into her wineglass. "Um. I beg to—" But Kiba promptly cuts her off with a not so subtle shush._

 _"You want the juicy details or not?" he says in a raised murmur, all the while waggling his dark eyebrows at Hinata._

 _"Fine," Ino says, rolling her eyes._

With that, the three friends turn as one to look at Hinata with anticipation.

 _"This is ridiculous," Hinata says with a laugh. "A lady doesn't kiss and tell!"_

Kiba and Ino automatically interject in unison.

 _"Oh, thank God_ , _because I was dying to know."_

 _"Great! So_ spill _the deets, Hyuuga!"_

 _Hinata rolls her eyes. "Why are you guys so pressed about this? You never once asked about Temari in the entire two_ years _we were fucking."_

 _"Yes, but we_ know _Temari," Tenten points out._

 _"And some of us have even_ fucked _Temari," Ino says, this time alarming a couple trying to enjoy a quiet meal one table over._

 _"Just give her_ something," _Kiba says, dropping Hinata an affable wink._

 _"All right, all right…" Hinata groans. She takes an extended pause, partially to annoy Ino, partially to stir whatever sugary cocktail she's been bullied into ordering for the evening. "It was…" Hinata's thighs squeeze together of their own accord. "… more than adequate," she finally decides on._

 _There's a short beat as her three friends share a calculating look._

 _"Well… Not_ quite _the glowing commendation I was expecting," Tenten eventually says, diplomatic as ever._

 _"What can I say?" Hinata says dryly. "A girl's desperate."_

 _"Wait, that's it? That's_ all _we get?" Ino says in protest._

 _"I don't know what you were expecting!" Hinata says, laughing. "What could you_ possibly _want to know about my sex life?"_

 _"Well, for starters, more than_ that."

 _"Yeah, so far, all we know about this girl is that…" Kiba starts counting off on his fingers. "She's a_ she, _she's an alpha, and… that's it."_

 _"Don't forget weird enough to take Hinata up on her offer," Ino is quick to remind everyone before taking a sip of wine._

 _"It's not_ that _weird," Hinata says with a scoff. "Plenty of people fuck around to quench their hormones."_

 _"Uh, yeah. With people they_ know. _Like, even peripherally," Ino says, shaking her head in wonder. "How much do you know about this chick anyway? For all you know, she might be America's next top serial killer."_

 _Hinata rolls her eyes. "God. All you need to do is spend, like,_ five _minutes with Naruko, and you'll know firsthand that she isn't like that." She is just about to try her bright pink fruity concoction when she notices the three identical triumphant grins suddenly directed her way. "..._ What?"

 _"So… her name's_ Naruko, _huh?" Ino says, a sly grin slipping onto her face, while Tenten shakes her head and Kiba roars in laughter._

 _"Okay. We're done," Hinata announces in a curt tone. She takes a sip of her drink and promptly gags at the taste. "Also, I'm ordering a whiskey, your treat," she says petulantly, washing down the sickly sweetness with Ino's wine when her best friend pushes it over with a smirk._

 _"Fine with me," Ino says. "As long as you tell us one last thing."_

 _Hinata just raises an eyebrow and waits. With a broad smile twisting her lips, Ino slams her hands onto the table about a foot apart._

 _"Just say when," she says, gradually shortening the distance between her hands. Hinata just watches, shaking her head in quiet disbelief. "Wait, are you serious?" Ino says in mock surprise when her hands get about four inches apart. "You sure she's an alpha, Lee?"_

 _"We're not doing this," Hinata says, her bright tone carefully undercut by her icy glare._

 _"All right, all right." Kiba waves a hand between the two omegas, automatically defusing the tension. "Let's move on, ladies. And_ I'll _buy your drink, Hinata," he offers._

"Thank _you." Hinata slides the fizzy cocktail toward Ino with a pointed look._

 _"Oh, how bad can this really be?" Ino rolls her eyes and goes for an entire mouthful, only to spit it right back into the glass. "Incidentally…_ terrible. _" She gags and wipes at her mouth with a napkin. "God, that shit tastes like liquified candy soaked in cheap-ass vodka."_

 _"So why'd you insist on me getting it?" Hinata demands._

 _"You've got money to burn," Ino says with a shrug and a smirk. "And you make a cute face when you're disgusted."_

 _"Wow, just look at the listed ingredients," Tenten says, squinting down at the drink menu. "It contains at least four different types of artificial syrup…" She shudders, gratefully clutching at her own simple screwdriver. "What person in their right mind would ever order that?"_

 _Hinata shrugs and takes the menu for herself, already intent on ordering the most expensive whiskey available out of spite. Then the appetizers arrive, and at some point between bites of avocado eggrolls and receiving a much more palatable drink, Hinata decides that it's not worth mentioning that she can think of at least_ one _person who might be able to stomach—and perhaps even_ enjoy— _such a sugary drink. Not when they've finally moved on to teasing Kiba about the newly friended sorority beta girl who keeps liking his Instagram posts._

 _/_

 _Come Monday morning, Hinata is strolling into her 10am lecture like she always does, barely on time and with one eye perpetually glued to her phone screen. But this time around, Hinata takes a pause as she approaches her usual seat in the corner. She slowly turns her head to the back of the room and it's almost an accident the way her eyes immediately meet Naruko's._

 _Naruko flushes all over at once, her hand automatically shooting up to shoulder height in a jerky half-hearted wave. The sight has Hinata pressing her lips together to stifle a laugh and she just barely manages to school her amusement into a small fixed smile._

Hinata offers the fidgeting alpha a very tiny two finger salute before finally sliding into her seat. She pretends not to hear the stage-whispered conversation that promptly follows the awkward interaction.

 _"Naruko, are you okay? Your face is all red…"_

"I'm fine!"

 _"Do you know that girl?"_

 _"Oh, look, class is starting! No more talking allowed, I guess!"_

 _"But—"_

 _"Nope! Time for class, it's class time!"_

 _Hinata closes her eyes and releases a deep sigh out through her nose, briefly wondering if the alpha-sponsored heat relief is worth all the clumsy interactions she would have to witness in the days to come. But the way her cunt tightens at the thought—thoroughly emphasizing the dwindling yet still present ache between her legs since Friday—is all the answer she needs._

 _Pulling out her Macbook, Hinata spends the rest of class time chatting with Ino on Facebook messenger as per usual. In between speculations of whether Kiba is_ actually _sLeeping with that sorority girl, Hinata manages to take down exactly four points related to the course material, and before she knows it, two hour and a half hours have passed and Dr Henshaw is dismissing them for the day._

 _Hinata somehow convinces herself to sneak one last glance over her shoulder before taking her leave. Naruko doesn't notice this time, studiously keeping her head down as she packs away her things. So, Hinata takes her time, letting her eyes flit over Naruko's arms, studying how her tanned forearms contrast pleasantly with the neatly cuffed white sLeeves. The contoured lines of muscle shift and coil with Naruko's careful movements, and Hinata can't help but wonder how they must have looked that day. When Naruko was on top of her, body moving frantically against Hinata's, shuddering as she came with an extended groan, her grip tightening on Hinata's hipbones hard enough to leave bruises that didn't crop up until the day after._

 _Hinata leaves the classroom at a brisk pace, trying to rub the heat off her cheeks._

 _/_

 _Hinata is halfway through her physics homework when the facetime request comes through. She accepts without even looking at the phone screen._

"You're late," she says. "I got started without you." She takes a pointed sip of scotch in demonstration.

 _"That's assuming that I haven't been drinking on and off all day today."_

 _Hinata drops her mechanical pencil onto her notebook with a huff, leveling her patented glare at her brother's all too familiar smirk. "That's not funny."_

 _"Oh, come_ on, _Hinata," Neji crows. "You don't actually think that I'd do anything to put mummy dearest's precious company at risk, do you?" Hinata's glare just darkens. "Well, all right, maybe a small nip or two in between meetings…"_

"Neji!"

 _"Joke!" Neji exclaims, holding his hands up in exaggerated surrender. "I save all my scotch for you, you know that." He gives Hinata a wink as he pours himself a generous helping of Macallan 18 and raises the glass to toast the tablet screen._

 _Ever since Neji had graduated and started working full-time at Hyuuga-Corp, he and Hinata had taken to scheduled video-chats consisting of scotch and work—Neji reading over meeting notes and marking up expense reports, Hinata writing essays and solving equations, etc. It's admittedly a very Lee way of keeping in regular contact, and despite Neji's persistently irritating sense of humor, Hinata honestly wouldn't have it any other way._

 _There's a slight lull in the conversation filled with soft clacking, lead scratching against paper, measured sips of drink, until Neji finally lets out a heavy sigh._

 _"So, are you going to bring it up or shall I?"_

 _"Bring up what exactly?" Hinata asks, absentmindedly double-checking her arithmetic with a calculator, which of course ends up being correct._

 _"The giant elephant in the room that happens to go by the name of Naruko Uzumaki."_

 _Hinata frowns at her phone, eyes already narrowing into slits. "I don't recall ever telling you her full name…"_

 _"Oh, don't insult my intelligence," Neji says with a pronounced scoff. "There's a grand total of three Narukos enrolled at NCU, and it wasn't very hard to narrow it down from there." He takes an extended sip from his glass and flashes a cheeky grin. "Another blonde, eh? Careful. They can be habit-forming."_

 _"Fuck off," Hinata says in the brightest voice she can muster. "I'll have you know that Temari and Naruko are nothing alike."_

 _"Yeah, for one thing, Naruko's the Same age as you," Neji says with a knowing grin. "So, you can keep her around through senior year should you so desire."_

 _Hinata busies herself with another sip of scotch that ends up becoming half a swig. Keeps her gaze down at her notebook. Chews on her lower lip. "I… guess. I haven't really thought that far ahead actually."_

 _"You didn't know that, did you?" Neji says. "That you're both juniors?"_

 _"Well. No."_

 _Neji tsks a few times, shaking his head. "Not to worry, sis. I got all her personal info right here for you." He pulls out another, much smaller tablet and puts a big show of scrolling down an extensive list of bullet points. "You want to know what she's studying? Her grades from the past two years? Oh, just_ wait _until you read her college essay…"_

 _"Yeah, no. Not interested," Hinata says, pointedly directing her gaze back at her homework lest she see a stray factoid about someone she's not supposed to care about in the first place. "It doesn't even matter. She's just a placeholder anyway."_

 _"Oh. Just a placeholder?" Neji says, eyebrows raised._

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Just a simple_ sexual _stand-in."_

 _"Sure."_

 _"Who's just…_ fillin' _in for the moment?" Barely contained mirth drips from every single word._

 _Hinata groans and rubs at her face with both hands. "God! Don't be so fucking_ gross."

 _"Oh please," Neji says, rolling his eyes. "Like I_ want _to think about my baby sister getting railed by someone who was voted"—he glances back at his tablet—"_ most likely to overdose on ice cream _in high school?"_

 _"What? That's a thing?" Hinata says, brow crinkling. "God, the public school system is such a joke…"_

 _"Well, actually, I'm pretty sure they specifically made that superlative category_ just _for her." Neji takes a dramatic pause, his characteristic grin curving his lips, and Hinata knows enough to brace herself. "I_ suppose _since this Naruko girl's_ known _for being an especially good eater that—"_

 _"Hanging up now," Hinata announces, her finger hovering dangerously over the disconnect button._

 _Neji instantly collapses into a good-natured belly laugh. "Fine, fine," he says, waving his hand nonchalantly. "I've got to get drinks with a client soon anyway."_

 _"Neji. I just saw you down an entire tumbler full of expensive scotch," Hinata says. "And you're getting_ drinks _after this?"_

 _"Well, you know how much I love pre-gaming with you, sis." Neji drops another wink and blows a kiss with two fingers. "Hugs and kisses, love."_

 _"Hugs and kisses," Hinata returns, rolling her eyes._

 _A simple_ bloop! _signals their disconnection, but then not even two seconds later, she gets an e-mail alert from Neji._

 __Subject: Everything you'll ever need to know about your ;) buddy

 _Hinata doesn't even open the message. She just rolls her eyes and gets back to her homework, determined to get everything done before midnight. Two problems later, she glances back at the e-mail heading. This time, she clicks on the message only to find that it's completely blank aside from Neji's professional signature and a few PDFs attached at the very bottom. She closes out the window without clicking on a single file. After solving a few more problems, Hinata goes back and deletes the e-mail, promptly emptying out her trash, because why even tempt herself when it's all going to be moot in the near future anyway?_

/

 _Every time Hinata goes to the gym, she eventually concludes within the hour that exercise is absolutely the_ worst _invention ever to have been fashioned since the inception of mankind. But Ino insists on using the elliptical for 45 minutes at least three times a week, claiming that_ not all of us can rely on our huge tits, Hinata, _and every once in a blue moon, she somehow manages to drag Hinata along with her._

 _After a particularly grueling session of slightly higher than average paced cardio, Hinata finds herself tucked away by the yoga mats, desperately funneling water down her parched throat. She fans herself with a hand, using the other to brush off all the sweat that's collected around her hairline. Hinata is just about to swipe her towel underneath her drenched sports bra when, of all people,_ Naruko Uzumaki _wanders into the gym._

 _"Sh—" Hinata spins around, promptly facing her back to the door. Of course,_ of course, _her incredibly awkward fucN-alpha just_ has _to bumble into the vicinity when Hinata's heaving and perspiring like an overworked pregnant woman crawling about on her last legs in the middle of the goddamn Sahara._

 _"Hey!" A hand claps on Hinata's shoulder, startling her out of her impromptu hide-and-seek endeavors and reverie. "There you are!" Ino says. "Ready to head out?"_

 _"Yup, yup," Hinata says, twisting her face into what she hopes is a convincing enough smile. It isn't._

 _Ino narrows her eyes, a ready grin already emerging. "Damn. What's got you so flustered, Hyuuga?"_

 _"Nothing," Hinata hisses. She makes it a point to look right at Ino's forehead lest her wandering eyes land on the alpha doing—oh,_ sweet Jesus— _fucking pull-ups off a fucking pull-up bar._

 _"She's here, isn't she?"_

 _"Who?" And once again, Hinata's inability to play dumb does her in._

 _Grin growing impossibly wider, Ino whirls around. She cranes her head this way and that, studying each occupant of the gym in turn._

 _"What are you doing?" Hinata groans, covering her face with a hand._

 _"Oh, nothing. I'm just going to yell out her name and see who answers first." Ino clears her throat, straightening up to her full height. "_ Na—"

Not for the first time in her life, Hinata has to clap a hand over her best friend's mouth to shut her up. "Nope! We are not doing that. Don't make this weird."

 _Ino rolls her eyes and peels Hinata's hand off her. "Boo. You're no fun, Hyuuga."_

 _"Yeah, and don't I know it," Hinata grumbles._

 _Hinata seizes Ino's hand and all but drags her out of the gym as speedily and subtly as possible. Thankfully, by the time they reach the nighttime air, Ino has settled for just teasing Hinata instead of actively trying ruin her life, and Hinata takes it all in stride like it's a shot of cheap tequila. After a few more inappropriate yet annoyingly hilarious remarks about Hinata's sex life, Ino punctuates her farewell with a friendly kiss to Hinata's cheek and speeds off in her sLeek black SUV._

Mindlessly scrolling through various social media platforms, Hinata continues her journey across the parking lot. She likes a few of Kiba's new Instagram photos, making a note to bring up all the flirty comments the beta girl has been leaving underneath them with Ino during their next gossip session.

 _Hinata is still lost in her thoughts when she reaches for her car door. Which is why she almost jumps out of her skin when the door is abruptly ripped out of her hand, slamming shut before she can get it open even halfway. She stumbles backwards and her back collides heavily with a mass of solid muscle and smoky musk. It's only then that Hinata notices the hand that's reached over her shoulder to shove the door closed._

 _"Naruko!" Hinata gasps as soon as her vision clears. She takes a step back, pressing a hand to her chest, desperately willing her heart to stop pounding like_ that _because, goddammit, it's just_ Naruko.

 _"I thought that was you…" Naruko mutters, drawing her hand away. She shuffles her weight between her feet, not quite panting though the occasional breath drops from her mouth deep and heavy. "I didn't know you went to the gym."_

 _"Believe me, if I could have my way, I wouldn't," Hinata says, recovering quickly despite her pulse thundering in her ears. "I thought_ you _only went during the week. You know, after class?"_

 _"Yeah. Usually." Naruko rubs at her shoulder, and her loose tanN-top allows Hinata's eyes full access to the muscles rippling with the movement. "But I was at the studio all day, and I don't know. Was feeling restless."_

 _Now that she mentions it, Naruko_ does _seem quite tense despite her comfortable get-up of well-worn joggers and soft cotton. But it's not in the usual way that Hinata is so accustomed to seeing—all skittish and timid, slightly strung out on anxiety. Instead, Naruko is brimming with an agitated energy, her nerves keyed up and frayed, buzzing right beneath the skin. The uncharacteristic behavior coupled with the unfamiliar scent coming off the alpha prompts a stray question from Hinata._

 _"Hey…" Hinata says, making sure to keep her tone soft and non-threatening. "Did you take your A-Blocks today?"_

 _Naruko blinks. "Yeah."_

 _"Okay…" Hinata frowns, eyeing Naruko's ceaseless shuffle. "Are you feeling all right?"_

 _"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just…" Naruko shrugs her broad shoulders and Hinata has to drop her gaze for a brief moment. "I don't know…"_

 _"Restless," Hinata finishes for her. "Of course…"_

 _She valiantly fights the urge to cross her arms over her chest, feeling unusually self-conscious, which is ridiculous because_ again, _it's_ just _Naruko. But the alpha's normally clear blue eyes appear dark and hazy in the setting sun, her gaze intense as it rakes over Hinata's form, pausing to take in her bare arms and legs then her chest before ultimately zeroing in on her neck._

 _One of Naruko's hands is fisted in her own tanN-top, bunching up the fabric and revealing a sliver of tanned skin stretched over what Hinata now knows to be nothing but taut muscle. Her knuckles grow paler by the moment, and Hinata's own hands itch to surge forward. To pry the strong fingers off the wrought fabric one by one. Maybe drag them up to—_

 _"I should let you go," Naruko releases in a breath. She takes a step back and Hinata's head already feels a thousand times clearer even with that small distance. "Just wanted to say, hi."_

 _"Right, right. Yeah," Hinata says hastily. "I should get going too. Enjoy your workout?"_

 _"I will."_

 _"And see you tomorrow, I guess."_

 _Naruko's eyes flash once. "What?"_

 _"In class?" Hinata swallows. "We have class tomorrow together. Cultural... Anthropology?"_

 _Naruko blinks back at her slowly. "Yes. We do." She shakes her head. "Bye," she says before sauntering back toward the gym._

 _Once Hinata finally gets in her car, she releases a shaky breath and crushes her hands to her surprisingly flushed cheeks. "What the_ fuck _…" She shakes her head insistently, positively stunned when she squeezes her thighs together and they come away sticky with arousal._

Ridiculous.

 _They've only had sex the one time and it wasn't even all that great anyway. In fact, the only reason she took Naruko on as a fuck buddy was because of how_ amenable _the alpha proved to be in the bedroom. Their sex life might have a lot of_ potential _, sure, but it wasn't life-changing to say the least. Besides, Hinata has been with plenty of people all over the status spectrum over the past few years, so there's no way in hell or high water that she would get so cock-whipped so quickly so soon over meek little Naruko Uzumaki._

 _Well. Perhaps, not_ that _little, considering how sore Hinata had been the two days following their chemistry test. But the point stands nonetheless._

 _Later on in the night, when Hinata can't fall asLeep until she's had some personal time with her vibrator, she decides to chalk it up to your average, run-of-the-mill horniness. Something completely unrelated to the way Naruko was staring at her in the dim lighting of the parking lot._

 _/_

 _The following day, Naruko doesn't show up to class._

 _Not that Hinata notices or particularly cares. But Naruko is missing out on some very important information about Margaret Mead or something or the other. Plus, it seems out of character of her to miss class in the first place._

 _Halfway through lecture, Hinata finally entertains her temptation and sends Naruko a text._

where are you?

 _The message is promptly read, but no matter how many times Hinata re-checks her texting app, the response is still forthcoming by the time class gets out._

 _Which, of course, is simply unacceptable._

 _Hinata storms out of the classroom, barreling past a couple of betas in her haste and fury. She pulls out her phone, quickly booting up the program she had developed for such occasions, and hacks into the school's campus-wide interface with ease and little fanfare. After that, it's only a matter of time before Hinata gains access to the dormitory listings and tracks down the address of one_ Naruko Uzumaki.

N. Uzumaki: Addison Hall, 3B.

 _Google map reveals that the dormitory in question is but a few minutes walk from the social sciences building and Hinata doubles her pace, determined to prove that Hyuugas are a force to be reckoned with once and for all._

 _/_

 _Hinata is just stepping past the neatly trimmed lawn of Addison Hall when the first whiff of alpha pheromones washes over her. It stinks of power and need and sex. But when Hinata hones in on the scent, she can also detect something underneath it all that is very faintly, very uniquely_ Naruko _. Like the way Hinata's sheets smelled after the alpha had left them._

 _Hinata feels her legs trembling ever so slightly as she climbs the stairs to the third floor. Every once in a while, she passes alphas walking by holding their noses with a grimace, sprinkled in with a few omegas and betas shifting about uncomfortably._

The persistent smell renders the nameplate unnecessary, but it nevertheless confirms for Hinata that the room she eventually stops at is indeed occupied by a K. Uzumaki. She raps her knuckles against the door.

 _"Go away," comes the muffled reply._

 _"Naruko, it's me. Hinata."_

 _"I_ know. _Go away."_

 _Hinata's jaw clenches hard. "Naruko Uzumaki, you let me in at once, or I swear to God, I'll—"_

 _The door swings open, releasing a whole wave of pheromones and alpha musk, and Hinata's knees practically buckle underneath the weight of it all._

 _"Or you'll what?" Naruko looms over Hinata, her frame somehow impossibly large, filling out the doorway. Her eyes are glazed over and dark, and she's still wearing her gym clothes from the night before, which should be off-putting. But the ruffled tanN-top in question is pulled low, revealing just how much of Naruko's chest is flushed with an attractive blend of bright crimson, and Hinata can't find it in herself to object._

 _Hinata clears her throat, gathers her bearings. "Let me in, and you won't have to find out." She finds herself leaning ever so slightly into the doorway as she speaks, thoughts already diving straight between her legs._

 _Naruko growls and Hinata has to bite her tongue to keep from letting out an honest-to-god whimper. Clutching onto her last shred of resolve, Hinata digs her fingernails into the soft wood of the doorframe and waits and waits and waits, until finally the alpha relents. Naruko backs off and stomps back into her dorm room, and Hinata gladly follows her in, locking the door behind her with a pleased grin._

 _Naruko is pacing around the small dorm room, all gnashing teeth and sharp turns, and it's quite the sight the behold. But for the moment, Hinata's eyes are torn between the defined shoulders fNejiing beneath the tanN-top and the sizable problem that Naruko's loose sweatpants do absolutely_ nothing _to obscure._

 _"You weren't in class," Hinata says._

 _"I wasn't feeling well," Naruko responds curtly._

 _"Yeah, no kidding." Hinata's accompanying laughter stops Naruko dead in her tracks, icy blue eyes narrowing dangerously back at her. Hinata hesitates. But only for a second. "Naruko, you_ reek. _And you got about half the people in this building ready to present for you at the drop of a hat…"_

 _Her words trail off with a slight squeak when Naruko stalks over, hovering dangerously in Hinata's space. Hinata swallows hard as she stumbles backwards, her back thudding against the door._

 _"What about you?" Naruko asks._

 _"What_ about _me?" Hinata breathes back._

 _Naruko braces herself with one hand pressed against the door, right by Hinata's head. "Am I…_ affecting _you?"_

 _"I—" Hinata shakes her head, eyes squeezed shut. "Naruko, it's clear that you're rutting…"_

 _Naruko groans then, as if in pain, and practically crumples onto Hinata, her bulky weight settling against Hinata's soft frame. "You smell so good," she says in a desperate whine, and Hinata shudders. Naruko's hands start to roam, plucking at Hinata's shirt here and there._

 _"You do too…" Hinata says breathlessly. No point in denying her arousal now. Now when the evidence of Naruko's is pressing up against her hip. "Listen, Naruko…"_

 _"This is_ your _fault."_

 _Hinata freezes, the tiniest spark of fear tickling her spine. "I—I don't…"_

 _"My rut's early," Naruko says almost darkly. "More than a_ week _early. And_ you _did this." She gives an insistent tug to the soft fabric in her hands, pushing her face into Hinata's neck, mouthing against the skin._

 _"I—I_ know, _and I'm sorry, Naruko," Hinata says, her voice hitching when Naruko nips at her ear. "That's… that's kinda why I'm here…" Taking a deep steadying breath, Hinata tries to back away despite already being pressed flat against the door. "Look, I just want—"_

 _"I know what you want." Naruko's voice is low and sure, almost guttural. Her hand comes up to rest at Hinata's hip, fingers sneaking just past the hem of her blouse, skating pale skin._

 _Hinata stifles a whimper and grabs Naruko's hand before it can venture any further. "Th-that's not why…" she says with a gasp. "I want to_ help _you."_

 _"Help me how?"_

 _Naruko's words are murmured softly into Hinata's hair, her tone clearly meant to taunt as much as entice, and Hinata is about ready to give in... But then, with one last burst of willpower, she clenches her jaw and gives Naruko's chest a firm shove. Naruko growls and surges forward, her teeth bared and—_

"Health center!" _Hinata practically yells, and it actually gives the alpha a slight pause._

 _Naruko rears back with a puzzled expression. "What?"_

 _"The health center," Hinata says with a wheeze. "The isolation chambers. You can wait out the rest of your rut there."_

 _"What?" Naruko says again. She shakes her head furiously. "I—I can't. I'm already too far along. My meds aren't even working right now. I can't leave this room."_

 _"They have an emergency number for that reason, Naruko."_

 _Naruko frowns, and her eyes actually start to appear blue again. "But they're so expensive. They're like, what, 150-200 bucks a day? My insurance would never cover that."_

 _"Not here," Hinata says, her shoulders slumping in relief. "Student prices. Just 75 dollars."_

 _"Still too expensive."_

 _"I can pay," Hinata insists. "I was going to pay for you."_

 _"You… were?" Naruko's brow crinkles. "Wait… Is that why you came by?"_

 _"Yes!"_

 _Before she knows it, Hinata's being pinned to the wooden doorframe, an excited alpha pushing up against her, soft lips crushed to hers, a strong grip tightening around her waist. And Hinata kisses right back, eager hands sliding up Naruko's chest to clasp behind her neck, finally able to pull the alpha as close as she wants._

 _But the kiss ends as abruptly as it had started, with Naruko drawing back again with a groan, head shaking once more. "Hinata. No. I can't possibly accept."_

 _"Why the hell not?" Hinata demands, even as she scatters kisses down Naruko's neck._

 _"I—It-it's too expensive," Naruko says._

 _"I_ have _the money, Naruko."_

 _"Still."_

 _Hinata looks up at the alpha, eyebrows raised, fingertips skimming down Naruko's inner forearms. "So… then what?"_

 _"You should leave," Naruko says bluntly, turning her head away._

 _"Do you really want me to?"_

 _"… Yes?"_

 _Hinata gives a thoughtful hum. "You know, that'd be a lot more convincing if you didn't have such a death grip on my shirt…"_

 _Naruko blinks and looks down at her hands fisted into Hinata's blouse, the flimsy fabric gathered in her grasp. "I'm sorry," she automatically says, but makes no move to let go or even to tear her eyes away from the exposed inch of creamy skin._

 _So, Hinata waits as she carefully studies Naruko's body language. The constant rise and fall of her chest. Her mouth half-open and panting. The ever tightening grip on Hinata's clothes, just slightly tugging._

 _When Hinata subtly tilts her chin up, she can feel the resulting shudder in the solid frame pressing down on her, a soft whimper escaping the alpha's lips._

 _"… Hinata." Naruko's voice is gruff against Hinata's ear. She whines again, nuzzling into Hinata's neck, and Hinata has to bite back a whimper._

 _"Use your words, Naruko," Hinata says, stroking the soft blonde hair at the nape of Naruko's neck. "Come on, you can do it."_

 _"I know that, um…" Naruko swallows hard. "I know that I said that I didn't need you to return the favor… with the whole rut thing."_

 _Hinata promptly tangles her fingers into Naruko's hair and pulls her back, making sure their eyes are leveled. She waits again._

 _Naruko's gaze flicks to Hinata's lips, then back to her eyes. She wets her own lips. "But, um…" Naruko closes her eyes with gritted teeth. "Could you help me?"_

 _"Help you how?"_

 _"With my rut?"_

 _"Help you as in…_ sLeep _with you? As in having sex with you more than once?" Hinata asks, unable to keep the grin off her face._

 _Naruko groans as soon as she recognizes her own words being used against her. "Obviously, you don't have to. I just—"_

 _Hinata presses a single finger to Naruko's lips to cut her off. "Please. I thought you'd never ask." She immediately goes for Naruko's waistband only to be stopped by a pair of ironclad grips closing around her wrists._

 _"We have to—_ Slow," _Naruko gasps out, almost panicked. "I can't—Everything feels like it's on_ fire _and I might…" She shakes her head. "We have to take this slow. I don't want to hurt you."_

 _"You_ won't," _Hinata insists._

 _"But what if I lose control or get too rough…?"_

 _Hinata bites her lower lip and grins. "Well, maybe I'm into that."_

 _"Hinata…" Naruko groans in clear exasperation._

"Naruko." _Hinata draws her arms back, bringing Naruko closer by the insistent grip still around her wrists. "If you want this, cool. If you don't, well, that's fine too." In one quick movement, Hinata breaks Naruko's hold and guides the alpha's hands to her hips instead. "But don't you_ dare _insinuate that I can't take you," she growls out._

 _Naruko's eyes glaze over a little, but she finally gives a nod. "Okay."_

 _"Okay?" Hinata raises an eyebrow._

 _"Yeah, okay."_

 _Sliding one hand to Hinata's ass, Naruko yanks their hips flush together. Hinata's breath stutters at the sudden contact, the now familiar bulge pressed directly into her center._

 _"Is this what you want?" Naruko husks out. She lifts Hinata's thigh and hooks the leg around her hip effortlessly, holding her close with a firm hand._

 _"Y-yes. Fuck." A choked moan inevitably falls from Hinata's lips when Naruko grinds herself even closer. Hinata throws her arms around Naruko's neck and gasps out, "You got the A-Condoms like I asked?"_

 _Naruko nods, blue eyes nearly blacked out in desire._

 _"Good girl," Hinata says, and the reaction is as vehement as it is immediate._

 _At once, Naruko bristles with a snarl, her hips driving forward and pinning Hinata against the door. Hinata nearly cries out at the firm pressure against her clit, eyes rolling back in pleasure… and undeniable exhilaration._

 _There's a distinct danger here. In the corded muscles fNejiing around her and the deeply unhappy pheromones swirling between them, but mostly in the sharp teeth now grazing the skin underneath Hinata's ear._

 _"Hey, hey…" Hinata croons softly, frame shrinking in an instinctive submission. "It's okay." She runs her fingers through Naruko's hair, lightly scratching at the scalp, both slow and reassuring. "I'm sorry."_

 _A deep rumble sounds from Naruko's chest, but Hinata shushes her back down, fingers never pausing in their ministrations. She releases a subtle dose of soothing pheromones to intermingle seamlessly with Naruko's own angry ones, and the alpha's heaving breaths gradually take them in before dwindling to a subdued pant._

 _Naruko draws back, unwinding her tense limbs, her teeth scraping harmlessly against Hinata's neck before disappearing behind soft lips once more._

 _"There you are," Hinata breathes, tracing Naruko's sharp jawline with her fingertips. "I'm sorry. We can work on our bedroom language, okay?"_

 _Naruko blinks down at her slowly and dumbly. She nods her head once._

 _"How about this?" Hinata presses her palm against Naruko's chest and applies gentle pressure until the alpha takes a half-step back. She maintains the contact, her hand sliding down Naruko's figure as she carefully drops to her knees, and that_ definitely _grabs Naruko's full attention. "Do you like this? Do you like me down here?"_

 _Naruko lets out a helpless whine and fidgets, hard muscle jumping into Hinata's hand braced against her stomach._

 _Fighting down a smirk, Hinata catches one of Naruko's flailing hands with hers and tugs it toward her mouth. Her lips part around Naruko's index finger, her tongue caressing and sliding against the skin in languid strokes. She keeps her eyes on Naruko's as she starts to suck, letting her cheeks visibly hollow around the digit, while Naruko just stares back in open-mouthed desire. Hinata bobs her head a few more times before pulling away with an audible pop._

 _"Come on, alpha," Hinata purrs, nuzzling into Naruko's stomach. "Use your words. You want this?" She pushes up the tanN-top, dragging her tongue up Naruko's twitching abs._

 _Naruko whines again, grits her teeth. "Yeah… I want it."_

 _Hinata hooks her fingers into Naruko's waistband. "Can I take these off?" Naruko gives only a stiff nod in answer until Hinata reminds her again in a firm voice,_ "Words."

 _"Yes! You can… take them off." Naruko swallows hard. "Please."_

 _"Please," Hinata echoes with a delighted grin._

 _She pushes down Naruko's sweatpants and has to bite back a groan at the sight that awaits her. The now prominent erection straining against the tight cotton, hard and ready for Hinata's attention. There's already a small wet patch spreading across the front of Naruko's boxers where her pre-cum must have smeared onto, and Hinata can feel her mouth water, desperate for a taste. Licking her lips in anticipation, Hinata runs her fingertips down the covered length, reveling in the warmth Naruko's cock gives off even through the underwear._

 _With a grunt, Naruko tangles her fingers into Hinata's hair and tugs her closer. "Please…" she says in a desperate groan._

 _Hinata goes willingly, but she can't help the smirk flashing across her face. "Pushy," she teases._

 _"Just shut up and suck me," Naruko shoots back, and Hinata feels her entire body go rigid at the words._

 _…_ Oh.

 _Without any more prompting, Hinata rips down Naruko's boxers and wastes no time guiding the leaking head into her mouth. Naruko lets out a startled grunt, her fingers tightening in Hinata's hair, as soft plump lips part for her length. Hinata moans as soon as the warm salty taste spreads across her tongue. It's a subtle tang, with just a hint of sweetness, and just might be the best thing Hinata's ever tasted in her life, though Naruko's rutting pheromones are probably coloring her biases more than a little at the moment._

"… Fuck!" _Naruko slams a fist against the doorframe without warning, the thud only serving to rocket up Hinata's heartbeat and desire._

 _Hinata tries to hum soothingly around the cock, rubbing at the back of Naruko's legs with gentle hands, and the alpha relaxes a hair. But when Hinata redoubles her efforts, tightening her lips around the thick length, slowly bobbing her head up and down, her tongue massaging the sensitive underside of her cock with every pass, Naruko starts trembling all over once more._

 _Then suddenly, Naruko makes a rigid fist in Hinata's hair and pulls her off her cock in one swift moment._

 _Hinata gasps for breath, eyes darting back up to Naruko. "What's wrong? Too much teeth or—"_

 _"Don't tease me," comes the low growl, and Hinata can't help but squeeze her thighs together at the steely tone._

 _But before Hinata can return to her earlier task, Naruko relocates her hand from Hinata's hair to her forehead, gently pushing until Hinata is forced to sit back on her heels. Head now firmly pressed against the door, Hinata glances back up again. But this time, it's not Naruko looking down at her, but a hungry alpha, blue irises completely swallowed up in the dark pupils._

 _"I'm going to fuck your mouth now," the alpha says, matter-of factly. "Tap my leg if it's too much." Hinata gives a nod and tilts her chin up for a better angle, and soon her mouth is filled with Naruko._

 _It's difficult to breathe with how hard and fast Naruko thrusts into her mouth, but Hinata swallows around the length greedily. The alpha is clearly enjoying herself, grunting emphatically every time she bottoms out in Hinata's throat. Naruko can barely keep her eyes open from the pleasure, but each time she catches sight of Hinata staring up at her with watering eyes, she drives in just a little deeper._

 _Hinata clenches her toes as her breaths get more and more ragged, fewer and farther between. She's just about to consider tapping on Naruko's leg when the alpha's low grunts finally break into a high-pitched whine._

"Fuck, fuck, fuck…" _Naruko cries out, pained and desperate. "I'm going to come. Fuck, I'm coming. You better swallow it all. Fuck,_ fuck…" _And with that, she pushes forward, smoothly and impossibly deeper, and Hinata feels the first spurts of hot cum shooting down her throat._

 _Sounding out her release in hoarse groans, Naruko all but collapses against the door, fingers back to twisting in Hinata's hair, hips still thrusting vigorously, and… Hinata has to tap out._

 _Naruko straightens up at the first insistent touch to her leg and swiftly but gently extricates herself from Hinata's throat. But before she can get too far, Hinata seizes the hem of Naruko's tanN-top and yanks her back, making sure to keep the still releasing cock in her mouth, lips tightening defiantly around the twitching head._

 _Hinata sucks hard at the tip, cheeks hollowing out, pumping a loose fist at the base of Naruko's cock to make up for the difference. She keeps swallowing as Naruko continues to pump warm jets of cum down her throat, making sure to milk every last drop from the quivering length before letting it slip out of her mouth._

 _"What?" Hinata says, flashing a wicked grin at Naruko's dumbfounded expression. "You asked." After planting one last chaste kiss to the head, she finally pulls away to wipe at the corners of her mouth._

 _"You… didn't have to do that…"_

 _"I_ wanted _to. I was just having a hard time catching my breath."_

 _But Naruko's still staring down at Hinata with guilt in her eyes, a far cry from the alpha who had so roughly fucked her mouth against the door. Hinata rolls her eyes._

 _"So, you going to help me up and fuck me at some point? Or are you all tuckered out already?" Hinata punctuates her challenge by tilting her neck up, placing her pale skin on display, and it's incredible how rapidly Naruko's eyes get blacked out once more._

 _Naruko hauls Hinata to her feet and shoves her toward the tiny bed in the corner, a clear demonstration of strength that already has Hinata's body so deliciously ready for what's to come. Hinata goes to climb onto what apparently passes for a bed in the dormitories, already intent on inviting Naruko to climb on top, when strong hands are dragging her right back down by the hips. One hand slides up and pushes down on Hinata's back until she's bent over the bed._

 _"No. Like this."_

 _Hinata laughs, even as her knees practically buckle in desire. "Typical alpha. Just can't wait to mount—" She cuts out in a sharp cry when a palm comes down hard on her ass. The hand stays put, a silent order, refusing to move until Hinata relents and falls limp against the bed._

 _Already panting, Hinata digs her fingers into the sheets, absentmindedly noting how much they smell like Naruko. She tenses up again upon hearing the familiar sound of tearing tinfoil, but Naruko shushes her, rubbing at her hip until she settles back onto the bed with a whimper._

 _Then rough hands yank at Hinata's jeans and underwear, pulling them down to mid-thigh without much_ _ceremony. Hinata lets out an extended hiss between her teeth at the unforgivable cold air hitting her slick, sensitive flesh. A slight pause before Naruko's fingertips cautiously skim down Hinata's lower back, tracing a familiar pattern. Warm lips ghost over the sensitive skin._

 _"You look so good like this, Hinata."_

 _"I'm glad you think so…" Hinata manages to say, though the intended breeziness of the statement gets lost in the thick cloud of her arousal._

 _Naruko responds with a noncommittal hum. Her fingers travel down Hinata's spine in a wandering pattern, brushing down her ass, just narrowly avoiding her wetness. "You think you can take me in one go?"_

 _Hinata stifles a pathetic whine, fingers digging into the soft bedding. "If you go slow."_

 _"Slow it is," Naruko says, pulling down Hinata's shirt collar so she can press one last kiss to her shoulder blade._

 _Hinata's legs start wobbling as soon as the tip of Naruko's cock sinks inside her. She bites down on her own fist, whimpers progressively climbing in pitch as she's fed Naruko's considerable length inch by inch, tender muscles forced to part for the unyielding hardness. The pace is slow as promised, but steady and relentless, and Hinata can't even imagine how she had managed to take all of Naruko before, only a couple of weeks prior._

 _"Almost there, baby," Naruko reassures her, thumbs rubbing soothing circles into Hinata's hips, and Hinata can only let out a ragged gasp in response._

 _When Naruko's hips finally meet Hinata's with a solid push, Hinata can't help the low, grateful moan that tumbles out of her. Naruko's cock is nestled so deep inside her that she can feel the blunt head nudging against her cervix. So deep that she can feel every inch of the alpha pulsing against her sensitive walls. So deep that she can feel her breath practically faltering from all the pressure._

 _"Still with me?" Naruko asks._

 _"Yes…" And Hinata's too full—just so, so_ full _—to feel embarrassed at the high-pitched broken sound that's fallen from her lips. She lets out a startled shout when Naruko tests the waters with one last firm jog of the hips. "Oh my God,_ fuck…"

 _"Are you okay?"_

 _"Yes. You're just… You feel a lot bigger at this angle," Hinata says breathlessly._

 _Naruko's whole body stiffens in response, then a strong hand presses Hinata's head down into the mattress. "Can… Can I please fuck you now?"_

 _"Yes. Please."_

 _The first few thrusts are gentle yet sure, Naruko working only about half her impressive length in and out of Hinata. But gradually, Naruko ruts into Hinata harder. Faster. Less controlled, but more insistent. And before long, Hinata's soft mewling has devolved into sharp rhythmic cries, sounding in time with the snap of Naruko's hips, her mouth hanging open of its own accord._

 _And… it's somehow better than last time._

 _Maybe it's the new position, the angle allowing Naruko's thick head to slip past her g-spot with every thrust. Maybe it's the heady pheromones still lingering in the air around them. Or maybe it's the fact that_ this _is all Hinata's wanted since Naruko had first approached her at the parking lot._

 _Whatever the reason, it's_ better, _and Hinata finds it near impossible to smother her anguished noises of pleasure, so she doesn't even bother trying._

 _"How does it feel?" Naruko demands through clenched teeth, barely audible over the constant slap of skin hitting skin and Hinata's desperate moans._

 _"Good. So good._ Fuck…" _Hinata's voice breaks into a breathy whimper when Naruko drives in particularly hard._

 _Naruko groans her approval as Hinata starts clenching down on her thick shaft. "You're so good at this, Hinata. So good at taking me."_

 _Hinata can't say anything coherent in response, her fingers frantically clawing at the sheets as she embraces the unrelenting pressure building in her lower belly._

 _"Just so,_ so good," _Naruko grunts out, fisting her hand in Hinata's hair. "Fuck, who's the good girl now?"_

 _And the next thing Hinata knows, she's screaming her pleasure into the rumpled sheets, sobbing wantonly as a violent orgasm tears through her trembling body. The shock of blissful release comes washing over Hinata in waves and ripples, and Naruko pounds her relentlessly through it all._

 _It's a while before Hinata's vision clears and she returns to her spent body, her exhausted limbs fNejiing as she stirs. That's when she notices a sharp ache between her legs of something impossibly large breaching her entrance._

 _"N-Naruko, wait," Hinata gasps out, her hand flying back to grab the alpha's jogging hips. "St-stop. You have to stop, fuck,_ Naruko…" _She digs her nails into Naruko's skin._

 _Naruko halts her advances with a low whine. "I'm… I'm sorry. I've never done this before," she manages to get out between pants. "But I just really_ need _to."_

 _"I know, I know," Hinata says, hurried. She relaxes her grip on Naruko's hipbone, smooths over the irritated skin with her fingertips. "And you can. Just… not like this. Can we get on the bed?" She lets out a shaky laugh. "This isn't the most comfortable position for a tie, trust me."_

 _"Oh… Right. Of course." Naruko carefully eases out of Hinata, placing a lingering kiss on her lower back when the omega chokes out a whimper at the loss. "You, uh, need help?"_

 _"What do you think?" Hinata grumbles even as her legs collapse beneath her. Thankfully, Naruko's right there to catch her around the waist, hoisting her onto the bed without any difficulty. Hinata scoots backwards to make room for the alpha, legs already spreading again, and she pauses to take in the view properly for the first time with bated breath._

 _Naruko's completely naked, most likely having shed her clothes right before fucking Hinata into near oblivion. All her muscles coiled and fNejiing beneath a thin sheen of glistening sweat. Her cock still so, so hard, bobbing carelessly before her, wrapped in latex still shiny from Hinata's cum and slick arousal. And her knot… It's big. Predictably so, considering Naruko's size in general. But even an omega as experienced as Hinata can't help but swallow hard at the sight of it. A knot so swollen, so large that even an A-Condom with ample room at the base is straining around it._

 _"Is this… okay?" Naruko asks cautiously._

 _She hesitates at the foot of the bed, hand coming up to touch her glasses, and that familiar movement instantly settles Hinata's nerves again. It's_ just _Naruko, she reminds herself as she leans back on her elbows._

 _"Hey. What did I say about insinuating?" Hinata says, an eyebrow arched. "You going to come knot me or what?"_

 _Naruko crawls on top of her until their eyelines are matched. "Yes. Yes, I want to." She curls a hand around Hinata's chin, tilts her head up. "And I'll ease you into it, I promise…"_

 _"Appreciate it," Hinata quips, leaning up to close the distance between their lips._

 _The gentleness with which Naruko kisses her back even through her rut shocks Hinata. The fingers cradling her face with reverence. The soft tongue licking into her mouth in slow flicks. A sigh coming from deep inside Naruko's lungs to fill hers. And the warmth of it all culminates in a vague twinge in the middle of Hinata's heaving chest. It's uncomfortable, and not._

 _Hinata breaks away from the kiss, fist pushed against Naruko's chest. "Naruko…"_

 _"Can I take this off?"_

 _"… What?"_

 _"Your shirt." Naruko tugs at the hem of Hinata's disheveled blouse. "And everything else. I never got to see, you know, all of you. Not properly anyway." Her smile is earnest and a little shy._

 _Hinata blinks, shakes her head. "Oh. Yeah. Sure. Go crazy."_

 _Naruko's fingers are eager as they work to unbutton Hinata's top and undo her lacy bra with only minimal fumble. When all is said and done, Hinata settles back onto her elbows and just gives a half-shrug at the gawking alpha._

 _"You're… you're perfect," Naruko says incredulously._

 _Hinata snorts. "You're not so bad yourself." She drags her fingertips down Naruko's arm, squeezing at the toned musculature with an appreciative hum._

 _Naruko dips her head and kisses her way down Hinata's neck, her chest, the slope of her breast before sucking a pebbled nipple into her mouth._

 _"Mm—_ Naruko…" _Hinata bucks her hips when Naruko's tongue flicks over the sensitive peak. She bucks even harder, back arching, when Naruko cups her other breast, rolling her nipple between nimble fingers. But it's the sudden, unexpected fullness in her aching cunt that almost has Hinata swooning on the spot. "Oh,_ fuck, _Naruko, fuck,_ fuck…"

 _Naruko muffles a hum into Hinata's overheated skin. "You like that? Me fucking you like this?" She curls her fingers against the ridged spot on Hinata's front wall, presses in even harder._

 _"Yes, yes, yes…" Hinata rolls her hips in time with Naruko's purposeful thrusts. "But please… I_ need…"

 _"Another finger?" Naruko suggests, almost smugly. She slips in a third finger, twisting her wrist as she pushes back into the slick heat._

 _"No, I—" Hinata squeezes her eyes shut with a frustrated groan. She yanks at Naruko's hips in a futile attempt to bring the alpha closer, but Naruko resists easily, flashing Hinata a small grin for her efforts. "Fuck,_ Naruko. _You know I need your…"_

 _"My what?" Naruko asks, nipping at Hinata's collarbone when she doesn't immediately reply._ "Words, _Hinata."_

 _Hinata lets out a low moan, feeling herself tighten from the outright arrogance as much as the relentless pull of Naruko's fingers against her front wall. "Your—Your_ cock, _Naruko. Fuck! And your_ knot. _I just need you to_ fuck _me please and fill me with every—"_

 _In the next instant, Naruko's fingers are gone._

 _Then… Naruko is everywhere._

 _Her tongue pushing into Hinata's mouth, the pads of her fingers rubbing over her clit, and her cock sinking deeper and deeper with every thrust. Hinata releases a brief shout as her frustration promptly gives way to a lovely, blissful stretch, and she couldn't stop the onslaught of pleasure even if she tried._

 _Hinata has no time to brace herself as her orgasm hits her head-on like a sharp crack of thunder. Her thighs shake. Her fingers scrabble uselessly against Naruko's sweaty back. Her throat goes dry and hoarse as she gives voice to the devastating pleasure coursing through her body. All to the husky chorus of Naruko muttering darkly into her ear._

 _"That's it, Hinata. Take it, just take it. You feel_ so _good around me. You're just so_ good, _just so so good…_ So _good at this…"_

 _And ever the consummate omega, Hinata accepts the knot with a grateful moan, sobbing from the unbearable pressure as it slides into place with a slick pop. As soon as the knot sinks inside, with Hinata's sensitive walls molding to the intrusive shape, Naruko comes._

 _The alpha muffles her repeated grunts of pleasure into Hinata's hair, desperately trying to hold still to keep from jostling the knotted omega beneath her. Hinata runs her fingers through Naruko's blonde hair, exhaling soft shushing noises as best she can while filled to the everloving brim with the alpha. Then finally, Naruko crumbles onto the bed with a faint whimper._

 _Hinata plants soft, open-mouthed kisses all over the alpha's neck as she continues to tremble on top of her, and it takes quite a few kisses and murmured words of affirmation before the taut body gradually settles into a fitful rest._

 _"So…" Naruko says, after an extended pause. "How long do these usually last anyway?"_

 _Hinata laughs breathlessly. "Mm, it depends on the alpha. But it's typically like five to ten minutes? Sometimes longer."_

 _"Oh, okay." Naruko gives a thoughtful nod. It's almost artful the way the alpha wraps herself around Hinata more securely. "This feels too good," she admits in a low voice._

 _"Tell me about it," Hinata says with a soft groan. She unconsciously fNejies around the ever present knot inside her and Naruko tenses up with a growl. "Easy, easy…" Hinata strokes the alpha's hair until she's somewhat placated once more._

 _"I—I need to do that again." Naruko swallows hard, her hands fisting into the tangled sheets. "I can feel it coming back already."_

 _"That's a rut for ya," Hinata say breezily. She sighs and glances at her watch. "Just wait until you can pull out again. Then we'll swap out your condom and go for round two?"_

 _"… Really?"_

 _"Uh, yeah?" Hinata almost laughs at Naruko's gaping bewilderment. "I have class at eight, but other than that, I'm all yours."_

 _Naruko slides a hand down Hinata's body, seizing her hip in a firm grasp._ "… Mine." _A slight haze filters over her blue eyes, already darkening._

 _Hinata gives a light tap to Naruko's hand. "Hey! This is strictly a_ temporary _loan, all right?"_

 _Naruko blinks herself back into awareness, shakes her head. "Y-yeah. I know."_

 _"Good." Hinata tightens her grip around Naruko's hand before she can move it off her hip. "Because I do believe that I made you a promise back when we first discussed this? Something about me riding you until you break?"_

 _Naruko groans as she leans down for a searing kiss. "Yes. Yes please."_

 _/_

 _Hinata stirs first, eyes easing open only to squint at the fading sunlight. A hand comes up to stifle a yawn and she checks her watch, quickly determining that she's been out for almost thirty minutes now. Which is understandable considering how she's been knotted a grand total of five times in the past few hours._

 _When she blinks and lowers her gaze, Hinata notices the alpha curled up into a tiny ball, tucked neatly into Hinata's chest despite being precariously balanced at the edge of her pathetic excuse of a bed. Hinata rolls her eyes and reaches out to stroke the messy blonde hair that's fallen across Naruko's forehead._

 _"We_ really _need to work on your stamina, love," she murmurs._

 _With a low hum, Naruko shifts even closer to Hinata, brow crinkling with the sluggish movements. But it isn't until Hinata feels soft lips lingering at her breastbone that she realizes Naruko's actually awake._

 _"Hey."_

 _"What time's it?" Naruko mumbles into Hinata's chest._

 _"Almost six thirty," Hinata answers, and she can feel Naruko's lips twist into a pleased smile against her skin._

 _"Dinner time."_

 _Hinata snorts. "Sure is." She plays with the soft hairs at the nape of Naruko's neck, gratified by the soft purrs that reverberate from the alpha's chest. "You feeling any better?"_

"So _much better," Naruko says with a groan. "I actually feel like myself again."_

 _"Good," Hinata says, smacking Naruko's shoulder none too gently. "Because you need a shower pronto." She slips out from underneath Naruko and walks over to a spotty mirror hanging by the door, tries to fix her hair._

 _"… Huh?"_

 _"You still_ reek, _Naruko," Hinata says simply. "As do I, but there's no way I'm stepping foot into a dormitory bathroom... So go. Shower. Get dressed. Then we'll see about getting some dinner before my class starts."_

 _"Dinner?" Naruko pauses with only one leg stepped into her boxers._

 _Hinata rolls her eyes. "Yes._ Dinner _. Weren't you the one that said it was dinner time?"_

 _"Yeah, but…"_

 _"So, hurry up and get washed up," Hinata says. "And I'll buy you dinner."_

 _"You don't have to do that," Naruko says, even though her audibly growling stomach seems to disagree._

 _Hinata walks over and practically shoves Naruko toward the door. "No, but I will. So_ go."

 _Surprisingly light on her feet, Naruko nimbly dodges past Hinata and snags a small basket of toiletries before dashing out the door with a cheeky grin. Hinata just shakes her head, more to herself than not, and starts sifting through Naruko's cluttered floor to unearth her abandoned clothing._

 _It doesn't take long before Hinata's tracked down everything she had worn to Naruko's room. And it's not long after_ that _that Hinata realizes that her pants and underwear are unfit for use._

 _Her panties, Hinata can go without, as she's done many a time before. But her jeans, on the other hand… Apparently in her blind haste, Naruko had somehow torn the zipper mechanism right off the denim, splitting the seam nearly halfway down one pant leg. Hinata's still contemplating her unforeseen fashion predicament when a clamor of raised voices draws her attention away._

 _"—king_ serious, _Uzumaki? Like, what the fuck?"_

 _"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry—"_

 _"First we had to choke on your alpha_ stank _because you couldn't be bothered to keep up with your supps."_

 _"I_ know, _I'm sorry, but—"_

"Then _we had to hear you fuck your omega for like the past_ three _hours…"_

 _"It won't happen again! This was a one-time thing, I swear!"_

 _"It never should have happened in the first place! God, you're such a_ shitty _neighbor…"_

 _"I know, I know, and I_ swear _I'm sorry…"_

 _With a deep exasperated sigh, Hinata slowly climbs to her feet. She wraps one of Naruko's sheets around her bare body, making sure to secure it low enough to be sinful despite not revealing anything. She pauses by the mirror and runs her fingers through her hair with a practiced flourish, expertly mussing it to appear tousled but still sexy. Then plastering a bright smile to her face, Hinata pushes out into the hallway._

 _Naruko's just fidgeting with her shower basket, not quite able to meet the eyes of the two male alphas towering over her. She nods earnestly as she continues to apologize, not that either one seems to particularly notice or care. Hinata clears her throat, briskly cutting off the next impassioned complaint to be voiced by the outraged alphas._

"Naruko…?"

 _Naruko's ears immediately perk up at the sound of her voice. She turns around with a grin, only to have her cheeks flush a dark red at the sight that greets her. "L-Hinata. Hi. I—I was just… um, talking to…" She gestures aimlessly behind her in some semblance of an explanation._

 _The two alphas in question are frozen in place. One stands stocN-still, very plainly drooling over Hinata's ample cleavage, while the other just stares with a hanging jaw._

 _"Oh. Hello, boys," Hinata says as if she's just noticed them. But she quickly turns back to Naruko with a shy smile. "Hey, so can I borrow some sweatpants?" She giggles in a way that she never would in real life. "It's just that, well, my panties are kinda ruined? And I'd really,_ really _appreciate your help with this…"_

 _"Of course! Let me just…" Naruko shoots a glance back at the dumbstruck alphas. "Sorry, guys, I gotta go. Um, talk later?"_

 _"Yeah. Whatever, Uzumaki," one of them finally mumbles out. The other just shrugs and looks away, scratching at his head._

 _Hinata offers the two alphas a friendly wave as Naruko tugs her back into her room by the wrist. They both blush to varying degrees. Hinata can distinctly hear a raised whisper about how_ it's always the quiet ones, goddammit _as the door shuts behind them._

 _"Uh. Thanks," Naruko says._

 _Hinata snorts, rolling her eyes. "Don't even mention it. Now sweatpants, stat. I'm starving, Uzumaki," she insists, unceremoniously dropping the sheets onto the floor._

 _Ears tinging a bright pink, Naruko looks up at the ceiling as she paws through a nearby drawer with one hand, procuring a clean pair of joggers to toss to Hinata._

 _"Thank you!"_

"I'm surprised you've never been here before," Naruko says as she eagerly bounces into a booth at random.

Hinata eyes the seat before her, noting the bits of stained cotton already escaping through the various cracks in the red polyester. "I'm not."

"Oh, come on," Naruko teases, rolling her eyes playfully. "You don't like burgers?"

"I like any food just fine," Hinata says simply. When she finally takes her seat across from Naruko, she is unable to suppress the slightest wince of pain. Her eyes immediately dart up to Naruko's. "Don't."

But Naruko's already looking back at her with guilt in her eyes, an apology at her lips. "Hinata…"

"Don't!" Hinata insists with a laugh. "I asked for this. And more to the point, so did you."

Naruko flounders. "I'm still sorry though."

"Well, _I'm_ not," Hinata says. "I rather enjoy the ache. It's a pleasant reminder of a good time." She presses forward when Naruko responds with only a small blush. "Are we going to eat or what? I have class soon."

"Okay, okay, you're right…"

Thankfully, any hint of reluctance or regret slips off Naruko's face as soon as she opens up the menu. She recommends the double-stacked dinner special with extra cheese, which Hinata promptly decides will never pass her lips for as long as she lives despite Naruko's best efforts. In the end, Hinata just goes with the plainest burger offered on the menu with a diet coke, while Naruko orders the aforementioned dinner special with a _large_ coke and a plate of chili fries to boot. As appalling as the meal sounds to Hinata, she has to admit that, at the very least, it would be interesting to watch the alpha tuck away all that food.

Once the menus are out of their hands, Naruko moves swiftly onto the next topic of conversation, but Hinata inevitably misses the entire beginning of Naruko's spiel as she can't help but notice the waitress lingering by their table.

Hinata's eyes narrow as she takes in the clearly practiced ritual, the other omega all but sidling up to Naruko with wide-eyed innocence.

"Hey… Are you by any chance Naruko Uzumaki?"

Even interrupted mid-sentence, Naruko readily looks over with a broad smile. "Yes! I am." Her brow crinkles just a tad. "Have we, er… met?"

"Not exactly," the waitress says with a nervous giggle that doesn't fool Hinata one bit. "But I think I caught your show last year at the Wheeler-Nicholson Gallery? You had a series of paintings there, right?"

"Yeah! That was me!" Naruko says, her blue eyes shiny with absolute delight. "That's so cool of you to remember. Wow."

The waitress very briefly drops her gaze. "Well, I mean, you were the only sophomore who se work had made it into the exhibit, so how could I not, you know?"

Naruko's hand flies to her glasses, her cheeks somewhat pink with the compliment. "Th-thank you. I mean, I was just pretty lucky, I think…" she says, clearing her throat. "A spot just opened up and watercolor just happens to be my strongpoint, so it all just worked out."

"Aw, don't sell yourself so short, Naruko Uzumaki," the waitress says with rather unwarranted familiarity. She even gives Naruko's shoulder a playful nudge. "Your stuff's good. I've seen it."

"Thanks again."

"You know… if you're a fan of figure drawing," the waitress starts, and Hinata's frankly had enough.

"She's good," she cuts in, and whatever the waitress was going to say immediately falls flat. Hinata shoots a glance at the startled alpha before her. "You're good, right?"

"I—er, yes?"

"Good." Hinata snaps her attention back to the waitress, whose bright red lips have twisted into an unfriendly scowl. "Yeah, so she's good. You have our food orders. Thank you."

There's a long pause as the two omegas face off in an impromptu staring contest, with Naruko bouncing her eyes back and forth, clearly at a loss. But Hinata doesn't back down one bit and eventually the waitress has to.

"I'll be right back with your drinks," she says, her tone just short of snippy.

"'Yeah, thanks," Hinata says curtly.

Naruko directs her confused half-frown at Hinata once they're alone again. "Did you… know that girl?"

Hinata scoffs. "Of course not."

"Okay…" Naruko toys with a couple of napkins, tearing one into confetti. "It's just… you were kinda mean just now. So, I was just wondering, I guess."

"Let me guess…" Hinata says with a sigh. "You think my tone was uncalled for…"

"Maybe..?" Naruko says. "I mean, she was nice."

"To _you,"_ Hinata is quick to correct. "Look, we just spent a good _three_ hours fucking each other silly, right?" Naruko's cheeks flush a bright pink as if she's just remembered. "Your scent is _all_ over me, and she _still_ thought she could push her luck, the fucking nerve of that girl, _God…_ " Hinata shakes her head, blowing out an exasperated breath. "For the record, _this_ is why I wanted you to take a shower. All those post-rut pheromones coming off your skin, and she couldn't _wait_ to jump you."

Naruko blinks a couple of times and drops her gaze. "Sorry…" she mumbles, sheepishly scratching at the back of her neck.

Immediately, Hinata softens with a heavy sigh. She reaches over and snags the sLeeve of Naruko's flannel, the backs of her fingers brushing against Naruko's rough palm. "Hey. I'm not mad at you, okay?" She tugs at the shirtsLeeve until Naruko looks over. "I'm not even all that mad really. Just… mildly annoyed. But not at you, okay?"

"Okay…" Naruko's lips curve into a shy smile. She carefully wraps her fingers around Hinata's hand until she's snatching it away with an indignant scoff.

"We are _not_ holding hands, Uzumaki!"

Bursting into giggles, Naruko raises both her hands in clear surrender, her bright grin both wide and open. Hinata bites down on her inner cheek to keep from laughing along, but a reluctant smile breaks through regardless.

"Shut up," Hinata mutters, eyes rolling up to the ceiling. "It's not _that_ funny."

"It was cute."

All Hinata manages to get out is a few sputters of protest before a loud buzzing has Naruko scrambling through her pockets. She procures her phone, squints down at the screen, and lets out a small hiss.

"I have to take this, sorry…" Naruko says before quickly bringing the phone up to her ear. "Hey, ANeji? Hold on!" Flashing one last apologetic smile, she mouths an exaggerated _Be right back_ for Hinata's benefit before making her hasty exit from the restaurant.

Hinata flips through her own phone as she waits, scrolling through her Instagram feed, fingers drumming on the sticky surface of the table, taking the time to briefly wonder if she really should be having dinner with her dorky fuck buddy like this.

Her phone goes off in her hand, cutting through the idle rumination with a new message from Ino.

 _Hey, you still on campus? Wanna get a cocktail or 5 before your physics class?_

Hinata scoffs as she types out her reply. _I've never agreed to that before, so why would I start now?_

 _Ugh. You suck, Hyuuga._

 _Well I've been told that I'm quite good at it._

 _Naruko sounds like a real nice girl._

Rolling her eyes heavily, Hinata closes the messaging app and gets back to her mindless scrolling. By the time Naruko gets back from her phone call, their food's already at the table, courtesy of a brand-new waiter, which Hinata of course noted with no small amount of satisfaction.

"I started without you," Hinata informs Naruko as she slides back into her seat. "I was hungry."

"Good! I wouldn't have it any other way," Naruko says, and with the way her face lights up with the declaration, it's clear that she actually _means_ it too.

Hinata graciously waits until Naruko is at least two bites into her enormous burger before engaging her in conversation again. "So. ANeji. Is that a friend of yours… or…?"

"Hm? Oh _no."_ Naruko struggles to swallow the mouthful and half of beef and cheese impeding her speech. "She's, mm, she's my sister."

"Oh. I see." Something settles in Hinata's stomach, allowing her to lean back into her seat more comfortably.

"Yeah, she was just worried about me, what with the early rut and all." Naruko shrugs nonchalantly before hastily clarifying, "She's my _older_ sister."

"Did you let her know you had everything… sorted out?" Hinata delights in the attractive blush that spreads across Naruko's features at the coy question.

"Uh. Yeah. I did," Naruko says, coughing slightly. "Like, I spared her the details. But, uh… yeah. She gets it. She's an alpha too, so yeah…"

"Wow. _Two_ alphas under one roof?" Hinata comments between sips of diet coke. "How lucky."

Naruko laughs, the corners of her eyes crinkling. "I mean, I guess it depends on what your definition of _lucky_ is _._ Because ANeji and I sure gave our parents a lot of hell growing up."

Hinata pokes at her half-eaten burger with a fork. "Yeah, well, my parents pretty much would have killed for that, so…"

"Really?"

"Really," Hinata says shortly. Naruko slowly set down her burger, her thoughtful expression verging dangerously on sympathy, so Hinata cuts right back in. "I'm having some of this," she announces, sticking her fork into the heaping pile of chili fries.

"Oh, by all means." Naruko pushes the plate over with a small smile, but the brightness quickly tempers back down again, and Hinata can feel herself holding her breath. "So. Question…"

Hinata just sighs. "All right, I know that _I'm_ technically the one who brought this up, but I would _really_ rather not talk about my family anymore."

Naruko blinks, taken aback. "Oh no. I wasn't…" She shakes her head furiously. "Not a question about _that._ Something else actually."

"Oh. Sorry." Hinata clears her throat. "Go ahead."

"How did you find me?" Naruko blurts out, and Hinata can't help the surprised laughter. "Because I know I gave you my number and all, but I'm _pretty_ sure that I didn't tell you where I live? Unless I sLeep-texted it to you some night, then sLeep-deleted the sLeep-text before I woke up, or—"

"Naruko." Hinata grabs at Naruko's sLeeve, tugging her arm back onto the table where it couldn't flap around wildly. "It wasn't… whatever you just said. I just have my ways, okay?"

Naruko's face scrunches up, shame evident in her grimace. "You didn't, like, ask Sasuke or Winn or anything, right?"

"No." Hinata gives an amused frown. "Why? Are you ashamed of me? Am I your _dirty_ little secret?"

"No! Nothing like that," Naruko says hastily. "I just, you know, haven't gotten around to telling them about… _this._ Or _you."_

"Because of the shame?"

"No, of course not! If anything, _I'm_ …" Naruko yanks on her shirt collar, trailing off when she notices Hinata's smirk. "Oh. You're teasing me."

Hinata laughs again. "Listen, as long as you're not yelling in the quad about how you're nailing me on the reg, I don't _care_ what you tell people. Or, you know, _not_ tell people," she adds with a wink. "Though full disclosure: all my friends _do_ know about you. And on that note, if you ever receive a friend request from someone named Inoantha Yamanaka, do not accept it."

"Oh. Wow. Okay. Sure will." Naruko shakes her head, pushing up her glasses. "Or sure won't…?"

Hinata rolls her eyes, but the gesture is without any malice. "So, why all the secrecy, if I may ask? I mean, if you're not embarrassed… Why?"

"Just… I guess I wouldn't even know how to _begin_ explaining this situation."

"Just say we're fuck buddies."

Naruko winces. "I, er… don't like that… phrasing?"

"Which part? _Fuck?"_ Hinata raises a quizzical eyebrow. "Really? Because I recall you using that very word quite a few times as recently as an hour ago."

"That…" Naruko blushes furiously. "That's different. Different context. Different, erm, circumstances…?" She gives a light cough. "It was a private moment. One that had a lot more to do with… well, you know."

"With… _fucking?"_

"… Yeah," Naruko answers lamely.

Hinata gives a slight snort. "Well, how'd you explain it to your sister then?"

"I just told her that we were friends with benefits."

"Friends?" Hinata echoes skeptically. "You consider us _friends?"_

"Yeah…" Naruko says, frowning slightly. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because we don't know a thing about each other?"

"Sure, we do," Naruko protests, promptly counting off her fingers. "We're both in a cultural anthropology class. You study engineering. You normally prefer to hang out with betas and other omegas. You'd rather have a long commute than live in a cramped college town. And… you're nice."

Hinata has to scoff at that last one. "I am _not_ nice."

"Yeah, you are!"

"You literally just yelled at me for bullying a waitress."

"I didn't _yell…_ " Naruko starts before shaking her head. "Hey, you're buying me dinner right now, aren't you? _Despite_ the fact that I ordered like twice the amount of food you did. That's nice of you!"

"I guess…" Hinata uses her fork to drag one particularly mushy french fry through the chili. "It's my turn to describe you now, I'm guessing?" Naruko gives an enthusiastic nod and Hinata sighs. "Let's see. Well… I know you have a big dick."

Naruko chokes on her soda, cheeks reddening from both the lack of air and embarrassment. "That's, uh…" She wipes at her mouth with a weak chuckle. "Okay."

Hinata flashes a quick smirk that has Naruko blushing even harder. "Fine, fine…" She pauses as she finally gives Naruko's request more serious consideration. "You go to the gym. A lot. You have an insatiable sweet tooth. You have an older sister. You don't exactly get along with your neighbors… And you paint? Apparently?" Naruko nods again, positively beaming now. "So, how long has that been going on?"

"All my life, I guess…" Naruko says with a shrug. "But it's also my major."

Hinata has to call upon every single year of her much loathed propriety coaching to keep her features as neutral as possible. "… Art major."

"Yup! Specializing in 2-D mediums specifically."

"That's… nice," Hinata eventually settles on.

A slight crinkle forms at Naruko's brow. "That was a… long pause."

"Was it? Hmm." Hinata checks her phone and thankfully it's about time for her to head over to her class. "Well, I'm afraid I have to leave for class now."

Naruko scrambles to her feet just as Hinata tosses a few twenties onto the table. "Okay, let me walk you."

"No need," Hinata says coolly, already making her brisk walk toward the exit. "I know the way."

"Well, I know _that,_ but…" Naruko chases Hinata out the door.

Hinata whirls around and taps a single finger to Naruko's chest, applying pressure until she finally backs down with the softest whine. "I'm going to my car to get my things, then heading straight to the science building. I'll be _fine…_ "

She leaves a little edge to her voice, trying to get through to the alpha, who's probably just fighting off the last of her post-rut instinctive need to protect, to be near Hinata. Naruko just blinks down at her unhappily. Hinata relaxes her hand with a sigh, pressing her entire palm to Naruko's breastbone and Naruko readily leans into the touch.

"Relax, alpha," Hinata says softly, and Naruko's shoulders slump. "Go home. Rest. Take a shower. I'm serious, okay?"

"… Okay."

Hinata steps closer, fixes Naruko's shirt collar with a slight flourish. "I'll see you later, love." And this time when she turns to leave, the alpha lets her go without protest.

/

At the car, Hinata uses the rearview to reapply her make up and fix her hair as much as possible. She sprays herself with perfume, which unfortunately won't completely hide the alpha's scent still lingering around her, but it's enough to make her presentable to the general public.

However, none of her diligent preparations can keep that familiar knowing smirk from Kiba's face as soon as he catches sight of her.

"How's Naruko?" he asks, practically gLeeful.

Hinata sighs. "Do I really smell that bad?"

"No. Not at all…" Kiba says, but his smile widens slightly. "You _do_ look pretty comfortable though."

And Hinata glances down, groaning as she's reminded of the simple fact that she's still wearing Naruko's sweatpants. "Not a word, Spheer," she growls, swatting at his arm.

Kiba's smile doesn't fade one bit, but he does make a great show of zipping his mouth shut. But even Hinata's potential wrath isn't enough to halt the flow of cyber-communication, and by the time the physics lecture has given out, Hinata has a whole slew of text messages waiting for her—one thumbs up emoji from Tenten and countless vile comments from Ino.

Hinata ignores all of them in favor of dialing up a different contact altogether.

"I thought we were scheduled for Thursday," Neji drawls, picking up after two rings.

"Art. Major." With her brother's hysterical laughter ringing in her ears, Hinata slides into her car with a rather deep scowl. "Come on. What the fuck, Neji?"

"That's what you get for not vetting a fucN-buddy beforehand," he taunts, all singsongy and obnoxious, and Hinata rolls her eyes.

"I mean… it's not exactly a deal breaker," she grumbles out despite herself.

"No?" Neji sounds downright incredulous. "And here I thought fucking an English major was low enough…"

"Temari was _pre-law_ with a double major in English _and_ business," Hinata protests, hashing out an argument that she's already had many a time with her insufferable brother. "Business lawyer! It's a very practical livelihood!"

Neji just snickers. "So. What're you going to do, sis?"

Hinata drums her fingers against her steering wheel. "Have I mentioned how very desperate I am?"

"Oh, yes. Desperate for—"

Hinata taps the phone screen, promptly disconnecting the call.

/

After a couple of days of contemplation and more than a few sips of whiskey, Hinata finally gives in and pulls out her phone, only to discover that Naruko's already texted her first.

 _Hey, Hinata. I'm not sure if I ever got around to thanking you properly, but I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciated you being there for me. Not sure how I would have made it through this week without your help. Thank you._

Hinata reads and rereads the short message over and over again, chewing on her lower lip. Her thumbs slowly tap their way across the keyboard, _The pleasure, literally, was all mine._

 _Still. Thank you._

Hinata is still considering a proper response when a flurry of text messages come through one after the other:

 _That was a total fluke, by the way._

 _Like, normally, I'm really on top of my meds and cycle and stuff._

 _I promise to not bother you about this stuff again._

Shaking her head, Hinata hits the call button.

"Uh. Hello?" comes the hesitant greeting, but Hinata wastes no time cutting to the chase.

"All right, in all seriousness, I have no idea what you're getting out of this then," Hinata says all matter-of-factly. "We _all_ have itches to scratch, alpha. It usually goes like, I scratch yours and you scratch mine, and the world continues to spin. So, tell me. What are you getting out this exactly? Out of me?"

A long pause as Naruko seems to take in Hinata's spiel, then, "The satisfaction of knowing that I'm helping you?"

"That's seriously _it?"_ Hinata demands rather incredulously.

"Well, and…" Naruko trails off with a light cough, ratcheting up Hinata's impatience nearly tenfold.

" _And…?"_ she prompts, waving her hand despite the fact that Naruko clearly wouldn't be able to see the irritated gesture.

"You're-like-really-pretty-and-stuff?" It's mumbled out all in one breath and Hinata is actually laughing before she can stop herself.

"Fine. Whatever, Uzumaki."

"So… How's your day been?" Naruko asks slowly.

Hinata snorts. "I didn't call you for small talk."

"Oh, okay… Why _did_ you call me then?"

Hinata has no good answer for that question, so she immediately presses forward with one of her own, "So, what does your sister think about all this?"

"What?"

"Your sister. She knows about our little arrangement, right? What are her opinions on the situation?" Hinata takes a slightly too big swallow of whiskey as she waits for Naruko's reply.

"Well… She… Um, _well_ …" Naruko clicks her tongue nervously a few times, and Hinata can almost hear the blonde adjusting her glasses. "She says… that this is probably a huge mistake."

"Oh," is all Hinata can say, and she probably shouldn't have expected anything different to be honest.

"But! _But…_ she also said that college is, you know, the right time to be making these kinds of mistakes," Naruko hastily adds. "So… she's actually in full support."

"You're joking."

"… No?" Naruko says. "Plus, she also really, _really_ hates my girlfriend, so I think she'd be happy no matter what or _whom_ I was doing. No offense."

"None taken," Hinata says with an amused snort. She pauses then, frowning slightly. "I'm sorry, did you just say 'girlfriend'? Don't you mean ' _ex_ -girlfriend'?"

"Oh! Ha. Yes. I guess so…" But none of it sounds even remotely convincing.

Hinata sits up in her seat, back snapping ramrod straight. "Wait a minute. You're not _still_ dating this girl, are you?"

"Not… really…?"

"Wow, okay, so…" Hinata pinches the bridge of her nose, desperately ignoring the strangest swooping sensation in her lower belly. "You're _definitely_ going to have to explain this one to me, Uzumaki, because I _know_ you didn't just make me the other woman."

"I didn't!"

"I _don't_ cheat, okay?"

"Okay! Good! I don't… either."

Hinata huffs out an impatient sigh. _"… Explain."_

"Okay! Okay…" There's an audible swallow that does nothing to quell Hinata's exasperation. "So… my high school girlfriend and I broke up right before college. We were heading to the opposite ends of the country and I guess she thought that it wouldn't be…" Naruko trails off with a small sigh. "Anyway, we broke up, right? And she dates other people and I date other people, but… we both always kinda end up single again right around the holidays…"

"And…?"

"And, well, if neither of us is seeing anyone and we're both home from school, we… fall back on old habits."

"You fuck," Hinata says flatly.

"I mean, not exclusively. But yes?"

"Oh, Uzumaki…"

"We haven't in a while though! Sakura's been dating this one guy pretty seriously for the last year or so," Naruko explains, and it might legitimately be the first time Hinata's heard real bitterness dripping from the alpha's tone. "So… we haven't. End of story."

"I see…" Hinata takes a couple of heavy swallows from her tumbler before continuing, "Well, you know what we're doing here isn't serious, right? I have no issues with you fucking other people as long as you're being safe with them and safe with me…"

"Oh. Okay."

"Plus, if you wanted to actually date somebody, we can call it off anytime too."

"Right. I remember," Naruko says, and the pause that follows lasts so long that Hinata actually pulls her phone away from her ear to make sure Naruko didn't just hang up on her. "Are you… planning on seeing other people?"

Hinata's resulting snort is very undignified, thanks to the healthy amount of alcohol now buzzing around her system. "Please. I _already_ barely have time for myself and my studies. What makes you think I can accommodate another fuck buddy?"

Naruko just laughs in response, but Hinata can't help but notice that how light the alpha's tone is for the rest of their aimless conversation.

/

"Hey, what was Naruko's ex-girlfriend's name again?"

It takes Hinata a couple of blinks to refocus her attention from the television set to the best friend sitting beside her. "What?" Then the question registers. "I never told you her name."

Eyes still glued to her phone, Ino barrels on as if Hinata hasn't spoken. "It was Sakura, right?"

"What? I— _Maybe?"_ Hinata grabs for Ino's phone but her friend is far too quick for that. "But I didn't tell you that!"

"You know her last name?"

"No. Why would I?"

Ino clicks her tongue in disapproval. "Come on, Hyuuga. You're slipping here…" She turns to her other side, presenting her phone for Tenten's perusal. "It's probably this chick, right? Like, how many Sakuras can this Naruko girl even know?"

"You're on Naruko's social media?" Hinata says, incredulous. "But… how did you even…"

Ino and Tenten exchange an amused look before breaking off into near identical snickers.

"You know that there's only like three Narukos enrolled at National City, right?" Tenten says.

"Yeah, and it _really_ wasn't hard to narrow it down after that," Ino continues, still scrolling through her phone. "Also, your fuck buddy uses her full name on all her social media accounts, which is pretty convenient too."

Hinata covers her face with an exasperated groan. "I _told_ her not to accept any of your friend requests…"

"Never came to that," Ino says with a scoff. "The privacy settings on her personal accounts are all decent, but her art Instagram? Completely open to the public."

"It is?" Tenten says, absolutely delighted, pulling out her own phone. "What's the handle?"

"Can we not?" Hinata grumbles, pointedly turning her attention back to the TV. But even she can't stop her brain from memorizing the username Ino rattles off with gLee. Just for future reference. Just in case.

"Aw. She's _cute,"_ Tenten exclaims as she brandishes her phone, presenting a photo of Naruko grinning wide for the camera in the most affable set of paint-spattered overalls. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Lee wouldn't even tell us how big her dick was, so why the hell would she tell us that?"

" _How…_ is that equivalent in any way?" Hinata demands. She turns back to the TV when Ino shoots her a shit-eating grin.

"Anyway…" Ino drawls. "A lot of Naruko's earlier art was of this one chick named _Sakura,_ who's been conveniently tagged… and…" She taps on her phone screen. "Nice. It's Sakura _Smythe,_ if you can believe it."

Hinata's curiosity piques. Unfortunately. "That… can't be a real name."

"Yeah, okay, _Kieran,"_ Ino says in an offhand retort, and Hinata faces the television again with a dirty scowl. "So, yeah, this Sakura girl's profile is open to the public. Apparently, she's a fan of using popular hashtags to garner likes and attention and all the rest…"

"Oh, one of _those_ girls, huh?" Tenten peers over Ino's shoulder. "Oh. Wow. She's kinda…"

"I _know,"_ Ino returns conspiratorially, and Hinata snaps her attention from the TV again, no longer concerned with appearing uninterested.

"What?" she demands, trying to find her own place over Ino's shoulder. "What is it?"

"Mm, nothing…" Ino pushes Hinata away with a single finger. "Watch your little show, Hyuuga."

Hinata scoffs. "You know, I can just look this up on my own. I have a phone too, and—" She's promptly cut off by a sharp gasp, courtesy of Tenten.

"Wait! Go back," she says, grabbing insistently at Ino's shoulder. "Look at _that…"_

Ino tilts her head and just gives a slight _Oh,_ and Hinata feels the tiniest spark of anxiety couched in lots and lots of irritability.

" _What…"_ This time when Hinata grabs for the phone, her two friends give it up without a fight.

"Just don't hit like. We're about a year in," Ino warns, before adding with a shrug. "Not that she'd notice… Gotta admit, the girl gets a lot of likes…"

As much as Hinata would never admit it, her stomach clenches something terrible at the image displayed on Ino's phone. The one on the left is clearly Naruko, familiar with her glasses and sharp jawline, both prominent and striking in profile. Naruko's face is all scrunched up with her lips pressed against the cheek of another woman. The woman—presumably Sakura—has long dark hair with an almost mean smirk stretched across her admittedly well-proportioned face, her perfectly manicured fingernails cradling Naruko's chin in a manner that can only be described as possessive.

 _Happy birthday to this dork, I guess,_ reads the caption.

Hinata stares at the photo for just a beat too long. "Well, she's pretty. Good for her." She all but drops Ino's phone into her lap before fixing her gaze back onto the television, arms folding tightly over her chest.

"Right…" Ino starts cautiously. "But don't you think that _maybe_ …"

"Don't you _dare_ say we look alike," Hinata warns her with a rather venomous glare. "Because we don't."

"No, you don't," Tenten says, gently patting at Hinata's hand. "But _maybe…_ Naruko has a type?"

"And what type would that _be_ exactly?"

"Bitches," Ino says without the slightest hesitation even as Tenten continues to hem and haw behind her. "Oh, come _on,_ Hyuuga…" She scoots over to Hinata, whose glare has darkened twice over, throwing an arm around her shoulders and squeezing her close. "You know I love you and all… But let's face it, you're a bitch. _I'm_ a bitch. Half the time, Kiba's a bitch too…" She jabs a thumb over her shoulder. "Sure, Tenten here isn't one, but she lets all of our bitchiness go unchecked, so is she really any better?"

Tenten gives a thoughtful hum. "Not at all."

"Stop saying 'bitch,'" Hinata grumbles, giving her friend a shove. "And get me more wine. Stat."

"Finally talking some sense…" Ino slowly climbs to her feet, pausing to stretch her long legs with a pleased sigh. "Anything for you, Tenten? While I'm up and playing hostess?"

"Water maybe?" Tenten says.

"What? Lame."

"I mean I still have to drive home…"

"You can always crash here," Ino protests, waving her arms around her rather messy suite. "You know that."

"Well, I also wanted to get some work done tonight…"

"God. We _get_ it. You're better than us."

Tenten bursts into giggles. "It's not tha-a-t…"

The teasing bacN-and-forth continues on in the background as Hinata absentmindedly down the remainder of her wine. She keeps her small frown directed right at the television screen despite the fact that her program's been long since over, her mind somehow going a mile a minute without retaining anything meaningful. It isn't until Ino reemerges from the kitchen that Hinata looks up, her hand reaching out for a bottle that she's already committed to drink a good portion of.

/

Hinata's head is positively throbbing when she awakes. Her mouth tastes terrible, her vision is blurry and unfocused, and every one of her heavy limbs feel uncooperative at best. Hinata buries her head back into her pillow with a displeased groan.

"You finally up, Hyuuga?"

"No," Hinata mumbles into the pillow, only to have it snatched out from underneath her head and slammed into her face. "Fuck. _Yamanaka!"_

"I'm _hungry,_ Lee," Ino insists, tossing the pillow back onto the bed. "I've been up for the last two hours already, just waiting on your lazy ass. Come on, I wanna go to IHOP."

"Then go by yourself," Hinata growls, yanking the sheets over her head. The long pause that follows is gratifying, lulling Hinata into a false sense of victory. Until…

"Hey, you got a text from Naruko…"

And just like that, Hinata feels her entire body come alive without her permission. But she keeps still. "… So?"

"So, can I answer it?"

Hinata gives a snort. "Sure." Then upon hearing the familiar _click!_ of her phone unlocking, Hinata is bolting out of bed with urgency. "What the _fuck?_ You know my fucking pin?"

"I know your birthday," Ino says with a snicker, handing over Hinata's phone without any protest. "And I know you're predictable, so…"

"It's a perfectly suitable password…" Hinata grumbles under her breath as she brushes back her hair, squinting down the much too bright phone screen. "Where's the text…"

"Text…?" Ino just tilts her head, affecting an air of innocent confusion with a soft hum, and Hinata rolls her eyes heavily. "So glad you're finally out of bed though. I _was_ getting kinda hungry and all…" She chucks a balled up pile of Hinata's clothes across the room, somehow missing Hinata's face despite her best efforts.

Hinata grabs the crumpled clothes with a grunt, narrowed eyes following her friend's jaunty exit from the bedroom. This wouldn't be the first time Hinata's crashed at Ino's place in a wine-induced stupor only to be dragged out of bed for a way too early brunch, but it certainly doesn't make it any less annoying.

After sufficiently interrogating Ino to make sure Naruko didn't _actually_ sent a text—that Ino hadn't delete the message just to fuck with her—Hinata grabs a quick shower, ignoring her friend's demands of _Who the fuck are you even trying to impress anyway?_

"Your mom called by the way," Ino announces once Hinata emerges from the bathroom, toweling her hair.

"Fuck you. That's not even funny." But a slight dread settles over Hinata as soon as she checks her phone. "… You didn't pick up, right?" she asks, needing a confirmation even with the missed call icon flashing up at her, plain as day.

"Absolutely not. Even I wouldn't go _that_ far." Ino looks mildly offended at the very thought. "Plus, ever since that minor debacle between us, I'd never intentionally poke the she-bear's cage again. Trust."

"Minor debac—Oh, you mean that time when you tried to scam _money_ out of my mother's evil clutches?"

"It was a whole _50K,_ Hyuuga," Ino protests. "Who _wouldn't_ take that opportunity?"

Rolling her eyes heavily, Hinata just turns away to listen to the voicemail. All in all, it's a typical Hikari Hyuuga message: a brief greeting, a curt soundbite relaying the necessary information, topped off with the assurance that Hinata didn't have to return the call, and no goodbyes.

"What'd she want?" Ino asks, looking over as she tugs on a pair of pants.

"Nothing. Just letting me know that the house was going to be empty for a few months and I could spend Thanksgiving elsewhere if I wanted." Hinata shrugs, accepting the hairbrush Ino tosses her way. "Per usual, really."

"Oh. Well, you're always welcome to spend it with my family," Ino offers, hip-checking Hinata as she sashays past her.

"No need," Hinata says with a scoff, waving her hand dismissively. "I was already planning on getting whiskey drunk with Neji at his place in Gotham."

"Hm… You know what?" Ino says after a thoughtful pause. "That sounds so much better. I'm coming with."

"Nope!"

"And why the hell not?"

"Because you're going to try to fuck him."

Ino gives Hinata a playful shove. "What? How dare you accuse me of something that I've definitely done on at least three separate occasions!" And any further objection is immediately drowned out by the sound of Hinata's unrestrained laughter.

/

It's another good two weeks before it happens, right on schedule.

As soon as Hinata opens her eyes, she feels that familiar lurch in her lower belly. An ache. An ever widening, inconsolable black hole.

Whimpering, Hinata digs a fist into her stomach and tries to breathe through the pain. She quickly catalogues her plans for the day. Fluid Mechanics at 11am, a short 45 minute lecture. Then Differential Equations right after for another two hours. That's a total of three hours Hinata has to be present and accountable for and, with any luck, she'll be home by 2:30.

Easy. Manageable.

Hinata sends off a text, _Today. My place. 2:45pm._ Thankfully, Naruko returns her text promptly with a series of thumbs up emojis.

Hinata scrambles through her desk drawer, procuring a hardly disturbed bottle of generic low-grade heat suppressants. She shakes out a single tablet and snaps it in half against her palm, pocketing one while swallowing the other with a large glass of water. Then she chases the suppressant with a few phero-blockers and two more glasses of water before she finally steady enough to get ready for class.

Within thirty minutes, the first wave of nausea hits Hinata square in her belly as she's driving toward campus. She just grits her teeth and guzzles down an entire bottle of water. It's uncomfortable, but at least the gnawing need between her legs has quieted down to a manageable ache.

Hinata gets through her classes, armed with a large water bottle and a tape recorder, already resigned to parsing through the lectures later with a clearer mind. Thanks to the meds she took that morning, Hinata's scent has been muted just enough to be appropriate, and the few alphas with exceptionally keen noses are swiftly deterred by the death glare affixed to Hinata's pallid face.

As soon as Differential Equations lets out, Hinata is stumbling back to her car. There, she takes a breather, forehead pressed to the cool steering wheel. She takes the other half of the suppressant, fighting to keep her stomach from turning over just at the very thought of the impending nausea. Eventually, her vision clears enough that she feels safe to drive the car again.

The whole drive home, Hinata bites down on her inner cheek, pinches her thigh, counts to ten over and over again, anything to keep herself focused on the road, pleading with every deity known to man that Naruko's already at her place waiting for her.

When Hinata finally pulls into her driveway, it's a little after three, her hormones have flared back up with a vengeance, and Naruko's nowhere to be fucking found.

Tears of frustration spike the backs of her eyes as Hinata squeezes the steering wheel so hard that her knuckles grow even paler than they already are. She all but crawls into her house, leaving the front door cracked, hoping that Naruko would get the hint and not waste any time with politeness or knocking.

Hinata only makes it as far as her living room couch, where she curls up and waits. Her stomach's impossibly tight, skin slightly feverish, sweat pouring down her face and back, fingernails embedded into her own skin just to stay grounded. But none of that even begins to compare to the emptiness of her throbbing cunt, just _aching_ to be filled.

The shirt is the first to go, then her bra, both of which had been clinging to her sweaty skin for what seems like the entire day. Her pants are kicked off next, and Hinata's just about ready to tear out her own hair when she finally hears it.

Wheels rolling over gravel, the hiss of a car coming to a rest, then a voice. Familiar. Soothing and arousing all at once.

"Hinata?"

The omega has no more pride and she would beg if she could. But instead of words, a desperate, ragged sigh is what ends up crawling up Hinata's heaving chest, and when she flings out an arm to steady herself, her inelegant movements send an abandoned wineglass shattering across the floor.

"Hinata!" Naruko bolts into the living room, feet skidding. "Are you— _Oh, God…"_

"Get over here," Hinata growls, and Naruko does as she's told. But too slow, too slow.

"I'm so sorry, Hinata," Naruko is saying, "My class got out late, then I hit traffic, and—"

"Shut up, shut up…" Hinata groans and when Naruko's finally in reach, she grabs the alpha and hauls her on top. "Just… hurry the fuck up."

They both work to undo Naruko's pants, though Hinata's shaky fingers seem to hinder more than help. But once Naruko gets her pants off and boxers down, Hinata scrambles onto Naruko's lap, pressing her wet center into Naruko's stomach, and thank _fuck,_ the alpha is already hard.

Hinata yanks her own underwear to the side, determined to sink down into bliss and relief, but Naruko's hands grab her around the hips, stopping her just as the blunt head of her cock ghosts Hinata's entrance.

"Naruko, _please…_ " Hinata grits out, driving her hips down as hard as she can, and the head just barely sinks inside when Naruko is pulling her right back off again. "Naruko!"

"L-Hinata!" Naruko gets out in a choked gasp. "I— _Condoms!"_

The word and the weight of it flit across Hinata's hormonally addled mind, and she groans. "Where are they?"

Naruko gulps. "They're—uh, my backpack. I left it by the door."

" _Naruko!"_ Hinata slides off Naruko's lap, panting and half-blind with fury. "Fuck! What the fuck? Why the _fuck_ would you—"

Then Hinata's dropping her head back against the couch with an extended moan, one leg thrown over Naruko's shoulder and the alpha buried inside her to the hilt.

"I'm sorry, Hinata," Naruko says softly. And Hinata's aware enough to briefly register Naruko's upended backpack, the notebooks and pens strewn across living room, and a strip of A-Condoms sitting right by her hand, one of the tinfoils ripped and tossed to the floor. "So, so sorry."

Hinata lets out a shaky, breathy moan as Naruko continues her steady push with smooth, deliberate movements, the ache sweet and just slightly too much. "Sh-shut up," she demands, clutching onto Naruko's shoulders. She doesn't even realize that there are tears streaming from her eyes until Naruko brushes her thumb underneath one eye.

Hinata groans, both at the deep plunge and exasperation, and tries to knock Naruko's hand away from her face. But Naruko easily intercepts her mid-swing and pins Hinata's hand back onto the couch, zippering their fingers together tightly. It should be frustrating, but Naruko maintains the constant pump of her hips through it all, so Hinata just squeezes the hand and groans even louder.

"Take your shirt off," Hinata says in between pants, and Naruko hastens to comply, her thrusts faltering briefly as she throws off her flannel, rips her T-shirt over her head. Surging forward, Hinata presses her clammy forehead to Naruko's neck, breathes in deep. "Harder," she demands, sinking her nails into Naruko's now bare chest.

With a grunt of pain, Naruko promptly does as she's told, hips snapping forward at a more unforgiving pace, and Hinata muffles a grateful moan into the alpha's shoulder. But then Naruko's breath starts to shorten, dropping from her open mouth in heavy puffs.

Frantic, Hinata digs her nails even deeper into Naruko's skin. "You better not fucking come," she sobs out. "Don't you dare, or I'll fucking kill you, I swear to God, I'll kill you _…"_

"I won't, I won't, I swear…" Naruko grabs the hand on her chest, crushes it against her sternum with a squeeze. "Not before you."

But that's of course easier said than done, and Naruko is trembling in that familiar way before long, and Hinata could actually cry at the thought of Naruko coming prematurely. Coming she could sink her knot into Hinata, granting her that relief.

"What—" Naruko whines and presses her forehead to Hinata's. "What do you need, Hinata? Tell me."

"Just _fuck_ me, Naruko."

"I know, I know," Naruko groans, driving her hips harder. "But… I might not last much longer, so let me help you. What do you need?"

Hinata sobs out in frustration, but she can tell that the steady thrusts between her spread legs won't be pushing over the edge anytime soon and her clit, already throbbing and overly sensitive, would need a lot more than just clumsy fingers, and Hinata _has_ to come, she just _has_ to. So, Hinata drags Naruko's hand away from her chest and very slowly brings it to her own throat.

Naruko's breath and hips stutter as one, and Hinata whines her disapproval right away. "Hinata. What are you doing?"

But Hinata presses down harder on Naruko's hand, using her own fingers to tighten the ones around her neck. "I just… like the pressure," she gasps out. "Squeeze at the sides, not the front. My safe word is _let go of me now,_ okay?"

"Okay…" Naruko blinks, somewhat lost.

Hinata groans and tries to urge Naruko's hips to restart their rhythm, and they do. And thankfully, Naruko seems to know enough to keep at least half of her length buried in Hinata at all times, making sure her cunt's never completely empty. Then eventually, Naruko's fingers start to fNeji around her throat as well.

"Oh, _fuck_ , yes…" Hinata hisses between her teeth, and she clenches down on Naruko's thick shaft, which only spurs the alpha further, and by some stroke of luck, Naruko slides back inside at the most _perfect_ angle, and… "Right there, right there, fuck, _fuck, Naruko!"_ And Hinata is coming _hard_ around Naruko's cock, her hips jerking in time with Naruko's thrusts, her pulse fluttering against Naruko's strong fingers, and her vision blurs.

Hinata gradually comes back to herself to the sounds of Naruko kissing her hair, the alpha's hips still gently rocking against hers. With a soft moan, Hinata tries to sit up. "Did you come?" she mumbles into Naruko's skin.

"Uh, yeah…"

"You're not knotting."

It comes out more like an accusation than anything else, but Hinata feels tiny tremors wracking her entire body, the panic already rising again.

"I'm starting to…" Naruko says with a grunt. True to her word, there is a slight swelling around the base of her cock, but it's barely enough to catch at Hinata's entrance.

Hinata buries her face into the alpha's neck. "Naruko…" And it's a pathetic whine, warbling and soft and so, so weak. She digs her nails into Naruko's back. _"Please."_

"Okay, I just need to…" Naruko starts, and to Hinata's utter devastation, she actually pulls out.

"No, _wait…"_

But any further protest is abruptly silenced by the hot press of Naruko's mouth against hers. Releasing a ragged sigh, Hinata collapses back into the couch as Naruko eagerly climbs on top, and the weight helps. It helps that the alpha is cradling her in strong arms, that her soft lips are moving against Hinata's, that she's licking inside her mouth. But still, Hinata's impatience peaks and her hands slide down Naruko's body, her eager fingers wrapping around the thick length, still firm, still slick from Hinata's arousal. She squeezes around the swelling base and her inner omega revels in the answering throb against her hand and the deep rumble sounding from Naruko's chest. And finally, _finally,_ the knot responds—to their heated kisses, to the mating pheromones hanging in the air around them, to Hinata's insistent touch—and it starts to grow in Hinata's hand.

As soon as the knot's inflated to a satisfactory size, Hinata breaks off the kiss. "Okay, okay now. Inside, _inside_ … Fuck me please. In- _side…_ " She digs her heels into Naruko's lower back, but the alpha resists her efforts with ease.

"Hinata…" comes the tender voice. "I need to get another condom. It's not safe…"

" _No… Fuck_ that. Fuck me," Hinata tries to growl, calling upon as much authority as she can muster in her desperation. But it's begging. It's pathetic. She ends up clawing at Naruko's bare shoulders in her vain attempts to pull the alpha closer.

After a moment or two of gentle resistance, Naruko suddenly surges forward, latching around Hinata's neck with her teeth. She gives a firm bite, falling just short of real pain. It doesn't break skin, but it's enough that it stops Hinata in her tracks.

Instantly, Hinata falls slack against Naruko, all traces of fight leaving her body in one fell swoop, and an absurd sense of calm floods Hinata's system, tempering the insistent drive between her legs.

When Naruko finally releases her, strength starts to seep back into Hinata's heavy limbs, but the calm thankfully lingers, keeping at the bay the blinding heat-frenzied panic.

"I'm going to take care of you, okay?" Naruko says, and Hinata feels herself instinctively nodding along. "But we should keep it safe." She waits until Hinata nods again. "I'm going to carry you to the bed where you can be more comfortable. Can you wait until then?"

Hinata gives another nod. "Yes…"

"Good girl," Naruko murmurs as she carefully gathers Hinata's limp body in her arms. It's said with gentle affection, nothing at all like the heated praise from their last encounter, but the memory is enough to bring a tiny gasp to Hinata's lips anyway.

Once gently lowered onto the bed, Hinata falls back on her elbows and voices a quiet but desperate request that Naruko is quick to oblige. The alpha drops the last of her clothes in a haphazard pile on the floor before hovering over Hinata's body with hesitant hands. It's only at Hinata's nod that Naruko helps her out of her clothes too.

"Better?" Naruko asks, crawling back on top of Hinata, bare skin sliding hot against bare skin.

"No. I need you inside," Hinata says, her fingertips brushing against Naruko's cock, already hard and leaking into her palm, the condom from earlier having already been discarded.

Naruko's hips buck at the contact, and the next thing Hinata knows, both of her hands are pinned above her head, Naruko's grip both steadfast and firm. Something must have flickered across Hinata's face at the forceful gesture because Naruko's clear blues darken almost immediately.

"Stay _here,"_ Naruko orders, voice dropping low and dangerous, pressing down on Hinata's wrists in emphasis. "Stay here, and I'll give you what you want." She cautiously draws her hands away, noting the way Hinata's arms remain slack above her head. With a pleased nod, Naruko's off and away to retrieve a new condom.

Hinata's legs weaken at the familiar sound of tearing tinfoil and she's presently reminded of the gnawing ache between her legs. She tries not to whine as Naruko scrambles back onto the bed, but the sound tears from her throat unbidden when the alpha pauses her ascent, eyes leveled with Hinata's cunt, no doubt still glistening from their earlier endeavors.

Naruko swallows hard at the sight, eyes unfocused and faintly glazed. _"Fuck…"_ she murmurs to herself in a shaky voice. With unsteady hands, she parts Hinata's legs even further, mouth slightly hung open, licking at her dry lips, clearly desperate for a taste. And normally, Hinata would be more than happy to give in, to encourage it even, and a part of her is loath to deny the alpha of what she so clearly wants. But a much, much louder part of Hinata drives her to beg for more.

"Please," she whispers, and Naruko's head snaps up. "I need you. Inside. Please."

Naruko shakes her head, her blue eyes clearing up and re-focusing. "Next time then," she says, planting a chaste kiss at Hinata's hipbone, the gruff tone making it all too clear that she fully intends on keeping her word.

She crawls up Hinata's body, bending down for a filthy kiss that has Hinata chasing her lips with a whimper when she pulls back again. "You want this?" Naruko asks in a low murmur, guiding her cock with a hand, fitting the blunt head against Hinata's weeping entrance.

"Yes, yes, please…"

"Hands," Naruko warns, and Hinata's honestly dumbfounded when she realizes that her hands have somehow traveled back to Naruko's hips of their own accord.

With a small swallow, she brings her arms back over her head, grabbing onto the headboard for good measure. She waits.

"Good girl."

Hinata can't stop the groan of approval that leaves her mouth at the praise, but the sound quickly gives way into an outright shout the moment Naruko sinks inside. The alpha whimpers then, her pleasure sneaking past the air of bravado.

"F-fuck… Are you always going to feel this tight?"

Hinata digs her heels into Naruko's lower back, her grip on the headboard tightening so hard that the wood creaks in her hands. "Shut up, shut up…" she chants, breathless. "Just _fuck_ me, Naruko…" The demand tapers into a startled cry as Naruko promptly obeys, sliding a few more inches past her clenching ring of muscle, and the stretch is somehow too much and not enough at the Same time.

"I don't… want to hurt you," Naruko says through gritted teeth.

Hinata seizes Naruko's bottom lip between her teeth and bites down. Hard. "I _need_ it to hurt," she rasps, and she sees in real time the way the alpha's pupils dilate at her frantic words.

Without another word, Naruko braces herself against the headboard, her hand settling in between Hinata's. Then she's driving her hips forward, pushing into Hinata's aching cunt as deep as she can with her knot as inflated as it is. Hinata sobs out a broken moan, high and wavering, as the thrusts continue to come. Unrelenting, filling her again and again.

Naruko's girth is thankfully impressive enough that Hinata's toes are curling even without the depth she craves, but even that pounding relief doesn't last long. Eventually, Hinata wraps her quivering legs tight around Naruko's middle, restricting the alpha's movements.

" _Knot_ me," she practically pleads. "Please. I—I _can't_ anymore…"

"Okay, okay…" Naruko nods vigorously, leaning down for another messy kiss, all tongue and teeth, and she finally begins that long awaited push and Hinata's eyes are rolling back.

"Fuck… " Hinata grits out, breathless, the slow and insistent stretch between her legs almost unbearable. Her fingers twitch, but she somehow manages to cling on to the headboard. "Oh _fuck,_ God… My—my _clit_ … Can you—"

Naruko rushes to comply, releasing the headboard in favor of pressing firm circles into Hinata's throbbing clit. It only takes two tight circles against the swollen bud before Hinata is tumbling over the edge with a shout. She clenches down helplessly on Naruko's cock, but the wetness rushing forth with her pleasure is just enough for Naruko's knot to slip through it all. And with another firm jog of her hips, the alpha's completely sheathed within Hinata's clinging heat, the head colliding with Hinata's cervix, and Hinata's inevitably coming again, an even more powerful orgasm crashing over her on the heels of the previous.

Hinata's scream of pleasure cuts out then, her throat hoarse, and Naruko's tiny groans finally filter through the indulgent haze. The alpha muffles her sounds into Hinata's damp hair, twitches traveling up and down her entire body, in time with each and every flutter Hinata's tight walls give around her knot.

"Hinata," she gasps. "I need…"

"I need you to too," Hinata returns just as desperately. "Keep fucking me, Naruko. Like— _yes._ Just like that, _fuck,_ yes…" She throws her head back, hissing through her teeth, as Naruko ruts against her in a rough rhythm, eking out tiny jolts of pleasure for both of them in the process.

Hinata has had at least two more weaker orgasms around Naruko's inflated knot by the time the alpha finally reaches her climax. Naruko's hips jerk erratically, her throaty groans pressed into Hinata's neck, breaths growing more and more ragged with each wave of pleasure.

And finally, the urgency falls away from the air, leaving behind a considerable exhaustion that hangs from Hinata's bones. She slips her hands off the headboard, fNejiing her fingers and surprised to find that they're actually sore from exertion. Naruko is too occupied with panting against Hinata's skin to notice at first, but when Hinata cards her fingers through the loose strands of blonde hair, rubbing lightly into her scalp, the alpha collapses into a lifeless heap on top of Hinata.

"Sorry…" Naruko eventually mumbles when she catches her breath. "I can… get off. If you want." But Hinata just gives a soft groan of protest, rushing to cling onto the alpha's larger frame.

"Not yet," she says. "It feels okay as long as we're still… like this." She gives a gentle squeeze around Naruko's cock, prompting the tiniest of bucks from the alpha. Exhaling a soft laugh, Hinata strokes the back of Naruko's neck until she's relaxed once more. "Just a little longer?"

"Of course," Naruko says, and a sense of relief readily accompanies Hinata's rather pleasant fatigue.

She closes her eyes, lets herself drift off to the soft rhythm of Naruko's steady breath and strong heartbeat pounding against hers.

/

Hinata wakes with a sharp inhale, hands already reaching, panic rising up her throat. "Naruko?"

"Here, I'm here," Naruko says, sliding over. She gathers Hinata up in her arms and holds her close, and Hinata hangs on, her own arms wrapping around the alpha's neck, and it's perfect.

When the anxiety eventually dwindles, Hinata is lucid enough to make some observations. "You're wearing clothes," she says, grasping at the soft flannel underneath her fingers.

"Oh, yeah. I figured it'd be weird to just sit around all naked in your room while you were out. So, I got dressed."

"I'm still naked," Hinata continues her observation, even as her body starts to slacken against the solid frame of the alpha. Her breaths are back to normal now.

Naruko gives a nervous laugh. "Uh, yeah… I thought it would have also been weird for me to dress you while you were, you know, still asLeep?" She swallows. "Did I—er, was I wrong to assume?"

"No, no," Hinata says. She shifts and sighs, pressing both her palms against Naruko's chest until the alpha gets the hint and backs away, giving Hinata some breathing room. Hinata ruffles her already messy hair. "Do you mind getting me some pants?"

Hinata directs Naruko to her dresser while she retrieves an old high school robotics team t-shirt draped on one of her bedposts. She turns away to pull her hair into a loose ponytail and when she turns back, Naruko's extending a glass of water toward her.

"I just… had this here. Just in case." Naruko awkwardly shuffles backward. "The websites all said that it's good to be hydrate after…" She gives a few vague gestures.

"You did research?" Hinata says in quiet incredulity.

"I didn't want to be, you know, a bad partner…"

"So, you did your due diligence," Hinata says with a laugh. "Of course you did." She pats Naruko on the shoulder before taking a grateful sip of water.

Hinata looks through her phone, returns a few texts, filling her friends in on what's happened. She's scrolling through her e-mails when Naruko clears her throat. "What?" she says, not even glancing up from the screen.

"Did you got to class today?"

"Yes…" Hinata says, frowning. "Of course I did. Why wouldn't I have?"

"You just seemed… you know…" Naruko gives a half-shrug.

"Compromised?" Hinata finishes for her. She laughs bitterly. "Yeah, well, heats are never really fun… But every once in a while, it can be a real fucking nightmare." She reaches over the, gently touching her fingers to Naruko's. "I'm sorry that you had to see me like that. It's not usually that bad, I swear…"

"No need to apologize for that," Naruko mumbles. She gives Hinata's hand a small squeeze before pulling away, and Hinata tries not to take it as a rejection despite what her inner omega says. "It's just… Well, you didn't drive, did you ?"

"Does it matter?"

" _Yes,"_ Naruko says with enough force that Hinata has to suppress a flinch. "Driving in that sort of state would be… reckless. It would have been wrong."

Hinata scoffs and draws up, her shoulders squared. "Yeah, I don't have to listen to this…" She jumps off the bed and is out of her room before Naruko can say anything in response.

"Hinata. Hinata, _hey…"_ Naruko finally seizes Hinata around the elbow, tugs her around. "I'm _serious._ You really shouldn't have driven, okay? You should have stayed home or—or something."

"Stay home?" Hinata wrenches her arm out of Naruko's grip with a growl. "The whole fucking point of our arrangement is to maintain my academic career. It defeats the purpose if I let it keep me out of commission."

"You could have _hurt_ someone," Naruko snaps, her voice spiking, and Hinata feels the inevitable sharp pull between her legs. "You could have hurt _yourself…_ You knowingly put lives in danger, Hinata, and for what? For a good grade? No class is _worth_ —"

"Stop…" Hinata's voice is quiet and cracks a little, but Naruko falls silent anyway. "Don't—You can't talk to me like that right now."

Naruko pushes her glasses up her nose, throat bobbing as she swallows, but she doesn't say anything.

"My body's a hormonal prison right now," Hinata says, voice inevitably hitching. "Okay? I'm basically a patriarchal wet dream, so unless you're planning on _fucking_ me again, you have to drop the tone."

Naruko's jaw clenches and Hinata's body almost sings at the sight, but then the alpha shrinks away, dropping her shoulders and gaze as one. "I'm sorry."

"It's—it's fine," Hinata says, and she has to fight the crushing disappointment at the realization that Naruko's going to back off because of course she is. She forces a breathy laugh, crosses her arms over her chest. "I get why you're mad, and you can totally yell at me about it later, okay? Just… not now."

Naruko practically deflates, righteous anger seeping out of her entire frame. "No, that's… I won't yell at you. I shouldn't have yelled at you… It's just been a long day…" She sighs, rubs at her face, and Hinata's heart starts sinking when she pulls on her backpack. "I should probably get going… but is there anything I can do for you before I leave? Make things a little easier for you?"

"Can you stay over?" Hinata is asking before she can stop herself, and Naruko blinks rapidly back at her. "We—we don't have to make it a habit or anything. It's just… after a particularly rough heat, it's… easier to be near an alpha. Especially one that just…"

She motions aimlessly between them and Naruko somehow still has the courtesy to blush. Hinata rushes ahead with her words before she can lose her nerve.

"I have spare toothbrushes and pajamas… and I don't really have the brain capacity to do more, but I can make us some mac and cheese. Or instant noodles. I haven't eaten all day, so…" Hinata trails off before hastily adding, "And I'll of course make it up to you in the morning." She tries to make it sound as suggestive and appealing she can despite the raging exhaustion hanging over her.

Naruko shifts her weight back and forth, adjusting her glasses with careful, shy movements, and Hinata's heart is already sinking again. "Hinata… as much as I would love to…"

"You know what? It's fine," Hinata says with a brief smile. "Forget I asked. It was stupid."

"No," Naruko says, grabbing Hinata's wrist before she could retreat back to the safety of her room. "It's _not_ stupid. Your body kinda needs it right now. I get it." Her grip relaxes around Hinata's wrist, though her fingers stay pressed to her skin. It's a good touch, and it grounds Hinata with relief. "I just have a really important crit early tomorrow morning, and… all the stuff I need for it is back in my room, and yeah…" She pauses. "Otherwise, I'd stay. For real."

"Well, don't worry about it," Hinata says quietly, slipping her wrist from Naruko's grasp.

Naruko's lips twist into a deep frown and she just studies Hinata for a long moment. Then with a small, determined sigh, she drops her bag back onto the couch. "You got work to do?"

Hinata blinks. "Yes, but…"

"So, I'm not the greatest cook or anything, but I can definitely handle mac and cheese," Naruko says. "I'll do that while you get started on your work, then we can eat together, and _then,_ I'll leave, okay?"

Hinata laughs a little. "Naruko, you don't _have_ to…"

But Naruko cuts her off, disarming Hinata with the brightest of smiles. "It's okay. Let me just do this for you. It's one less thing for you to worry about, right?"

Hinata just nods, throat tight with relief.

"Great! Kitchen through here?" Naruko starts heading to the kitchen when Hinata suddenly latches onto her, arms thrown over Naruko's shoulders, nose buried in the comforting smell of her shirt.

"Thank you," is all she can say.

Naruko pulls her close, presses a lingering kiss to Hinata's hairline. "What are friends for?"

Hinata gives a soft scoff as Naruko continues to the kitchen.

It's only minutes later that Hinata's halfway through her calc homework and Naruko is halfway through what was previously an overflowing pot of Kraft macaroni and cheese. Hinata is curled up into Naruko's side, practically sitting atop her lap, as the alpha does her reading with one arm perched around Hinata's shoulders, fingers tapping away mindlessly at Hinata's arm.

They sit quietly together for as long as it takes, on that couch where Naruko had fucked her so thoroughly against the cushions only a few short hours ago, and Hinata is already miles away from the anxiety that's swallowed her upon waking. She almost feels like herself again. And so, later on, when Naruko gently suggests that she should probably get going, it doesn't feel like the end of the world. Just a mild disappointment, and Hinata's already experienced enough of those to deal.

"Hey, Hinata?" Naruko says, and Hinata just hums in response. "You know… if your heat's ever this bad again, but you feel like you really, _really_ can't miss class, you should let your friends know. Or call an uber. Or if all else fails, you can always ask me, okay?" And it's gentle, calm, and quiet, and Hinata feels safe.

"Thank you. Maybe I'll take you up on that."

"You going to be okay?" Naruko asks, lingering by the front door.

"Well, I have to be," Hinata jokes, though Naruko's face falls straightaway. She pokes at Naruko's belly. "Hey, I'll be fine, okay? Get home safe. Thank you for coming over… and staying for a bit."

Naruko smiles bright, arms raised. "One more for the road?"

Hinata walks into the embrace with rolling eyes, but the gratitude has her falling slack against Naruko's warm, solid frame. She buries her nose into Naruko's shoulder, gives a satisfied hum.

"What was that?"

"Mm," Hinata mumbles into Naruko's shirt. "I said, you smell _good."_

"Yeah? Oh. _Oh!"_ Naruko abruptly disengages from the hug and whips off her flannel, draping it over Hinata's shoulders in a single flourish. "There. Would that help?"

"Naruko…" Hinata blinks up at Naruko, startled. "You don't have to. It's cold."

Naruko shrugs her shoulders, waves Hinata off. "I'm going straight to my car, then straight to my room. I'll be fine. I'd even give you my t-shirt if you wanted…"

"All right. Hand it over then," she promptly says. With another shrug, Naruko grabs the hem of her shirt with both hands, and Hinata bursts into breathless laughter as she struggles to keep the alpha from actually stripping. "No! I was just _kidding."_

"Me too." Naruko shoots her a pleased grin. "Unless you really want it. I honestly wouldn't mind."

"I'll be _fine,"_ Hinata insists. She wrap the soft flannel around her more tightly, feels something settle over her that's both warm and tender. "Hey. Thanks… I'll be sure to wash it before returning it."

"Take your time," Naruko says. She squeezes Hinata's hand in hers. "I have other flannels." Then planting a quick kiss to Hinata's cheek, she's heading out into the night in a cheerful jog. "Night!" she yells over her shoulder, much louder than warranted given the late hour.

Hinata just waves until Naruko's Jeep rumbles out of sight. Then once safe behind closed doors with every lock in place, she crushes her face into the sLeeves of Naruko's shirt and breathes deep, letting the comforting scent wash over her, already mulling over the various nooks she could hide the flannel for the next time her friends decide to drop by her place.


End file.
